


The Sound Of A Thousand Screams

by LazySadPotatoComix



Series: When silence finally consumes us [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Character Death, Depression, Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Jealousy, Love Triangles, M/M, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Sexual Interfacing, Unrequited Love, Yandere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 27,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazySadPotatoComix/pseuds/LazySadPotatoComix
Summary: Silence,The very sound we listen to when no one is around,Though it isn't true,Sound is every where,From the innocents' laughter from the distanceToThe Sound Of A Thousand Screams.Beeping,Everywhere around me...There's beeping...Monitors and screens showing that they're in stasis Lock.When will they awake?When will I see them again?Silence,Within their stasis lock, there is silence.Worlds of imagination flowing within them, wether it's their deepest desires or their memories.Will they thank me for awakening them?Or will they despise me for ending their happily ever after?Their imagination running through their processor, like a river flowing down stream in different directionsOr a water fountain slowly breaking as the water sprays out in different formsOr the tears of an innocent streaming down their faceplate, never ending, and never in one direction.Silence,The only thing we'll never get to hear in our waking moments,Silence.
Relationships: Arcee/SlipStream mentioned, Breakdown/Knockout mentioned, Megatron/Soundwave/Starscream (Transformers), Megatron/Starscream (Transformers), Original Character/Original Character/Original Character, Soundwave/Starscream
Series: When silence finally consumes us [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000572
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29





	1. Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Transformers Prime Fan Fiction based on an Ask I got on Tumblr so buckle up!
> 
> You can read this book on Wattpad as well

**{Prologue}**

* * *

_'It's not right.'_

_'It's just not right.'_

Megatron thought as he stared at Starscream and Soundwave at the other side of the control room,

Starscream hasn't tried to assassinate Megatron for nearly a whole Metacycle and surprisingly, Megatron doesn't like it.

Not because it leaves Megatron uneasy and watches his back for almost a whole groon, worrying for nothing.

No, that's at the back of his processor right now.

It's because...!

...

Actually Megatron doesn't know why it makes him feel uneasy,

It might be the fact that Soundwave is actually working with Starscream and they haven't fought over something (or rather Starscream fighting over something while Soundwave just stands quietly waiting for him to finish) otherwise, Megatron doesn't know why he feels uneasy.

So far, The whole fraction has been doing well.

Starscream is leading the seekers well,

Soundwave has brought Energon rations higher.

Everything seems to be going well...for now, it's only a matter of time until Starscream tries to kill Megatron again.

Megatron sat still on his thrown, secretly staring at Starscream and Soundwave at the corner of his optic.

They seemed to be talking over something.

Soundwave nodded his helm once, agreeing with Starscream (that's a surprise).

Starscream turned his helm towards Soundwave and gave him a small smile, making Megatron feel a bit anxious.

"Soundwave, Starscream, Report"

Megatron said as he stood up from his throne and walked over towards the two mechs at the other side of the room.

Starscream looked over at Soundwave for a second, Soundwave looking back and giving a small nod of approval than back to Megatron, making things more uneasy for Megatron.

"Lord Megatron, We've found an energy signal that crashed landed not too long ago. We believe it's another Cybertronian."

Starscream said as Megatron's optics narrowed, intrigued.

"Is that, so?"

"The landfall is large enough to fit two or three Cybertronians, The Autobots haven't discovered it...Yet.Soundwave and I agree on investigating the landfall."

Megatron's gaze shifted towards Soundwave, questioningly.

Soundwave, in question, shrugged slightly and nodded once.

Megatron's optics narrowed, The two have never agreed on something in their entire existence.

Megatron turned away from the two and waved his servo in dismissal.

"Very well, Equip a squadron among twelve to twenty Mechs. If it's a trap, Don't come back empty-handed."

Megatron felt his faceplates form a scowl as he felt Starscream grin in utter glee at Soundwave.

* * *

Starscream, Soundwave and fifteen Vehicons arrived at the landfall within a few minutes.

The ship was dented and scratched from it's landfall, leaving a few flames here and there.

Soundwave stopped the Vehicons from getting any closer to the ship by raising his servo to block one.

Starscream however, seemed mesmerized or...confused to see the ship.

Slowly approaching, Starscream hovered his servo over a large symbol that was covered in dirt and rubble.

Starscream brushed the dirt off to stare at the symbol, Four diamonds to form a large one stood there on the ship as a symbol.

The diamond on the top was the color of crimson red,

The diamond on the left was the color of amethyst purple,

The diamond on the right was the color of navy blue

And the diamond on the bottom was the color of teal-mint green.

Starscream took a step back, in shock...Staring at the symbol almost like it meant something to him.

Without hesitation or explanation, Starscream whipped his helm back towards Soundwave and the Vehicons and pointed towards the doors of the ship.

"Open it, Now!"

Starscream yelled and before anyone could take action, he turned back and fired a missal at the doors.

The explosion left a dent in the doors, large enough to slip your hand through.

Starscream hurriedly ran to the door and pushed it apart, Soundwave following behind and doing the same.

As soon as the doors were open, Starscream ran inside the ship.

The Vehicons ran in as soon as the doors were open enough to slip through.

Inside the ship were cables, dirt, dust and rubble everywhere.

The cables flickering with electricity, creating tiny flickers of light.

As they went deeper in, pools of Energon seemed to get noticed.

Starscream ignored it's eerie vibe and continued onwards, seemed to be lost in concern or dread.

As the 'Cons made their way through the ship and towards the control deck, they were met with three unconscious Cybertronians.

Starscream gasped in horror, only for his gasp to be caught in his vocalizer.

Starscream hurriedly ordered the Vehicons to carry the three bots out of the ship, through the ground bridge and into the med-bay.

The Vehicons rushed through the ground bridge and through the hallways towards the med-bay, while Starscream and Soundwave headed towards the control deck to repost back to Megatron.

Unaware that the leader himself was walking down the same hallway just moments away, spying on both of them from the shadows.

Starscream stared down at himself, upset and concerned.

Soundwave turned his helm and looked at Starscream, seeing his expression through his visor.

Soundwave placed a servo on Starscream's shoulder plates, reassuring him in a silent action.

Starscream looked up at Soundwave, smiling slightly than looking back down.

Soundwave titled his helm, making Starscream sigh in defeat to tell the spy why he feels upset.

"I just..."

He hesitated, unsure of what to say until Soundwave slightly squeezed the armor of Starscream's shoulder plates in reassurance.

"I just...didn't know...They were still alive..."

Starscream lowered his helm more.

"Skywarp, Thundercracker, SlipStream... I thought they all died in the war...yet...Here they are...I thought I felt their sparks..."

Starscream shook his helm and placed his faceplates into his servos.

"I...I'm just so...happy that they're here but...Their several injuries aren't _just_ from the landfall...I..."

Starscream lifted his helm and rubbed the back of his vocalizer with his servo.

"I just... _thought_ that I could _protect_ them...you know...?"

Soundwave nodded his head.

"But I...I couldn't and then they got _hurt_ and then I thought I _lost_ them,

I just-I couldn't protect them and-"

Starscream choked back a sob and shook his helm.

It's been so long since Starscream finally let out his true emotions, bottling them inside so deep no one would even recognize him for who he really is.

Erasing who he really was to be something he wasn't, something like Megatron, something like a Decepticon.

His trine, His brothers and his cousin were missing during the war.

No one had seen them, No one knew where they were.

But now they're here, and they'll see how much of a disappointment Starscream was, like how his sire saw him ever since he was just a sparkling.

"I-I...just d-don't..."

Starscream started to stutter pathetically. If it were another bot, they'd laugh at him or yell at him to 'mech up' but Soundwave stood silently, listening to Starscream.

"...I just don't want them to see...how much of a disappointment I was...Megatron was right...I am ' _tiresome_ '...I am ' _predictable_ '...and I have ' _hit rock bottom_ '..."

Starscream started shaking as he remembered all the abuse he took from the past to present, crossing his servos and hugging himself.

Soundwave stepped closer towards him, squeezing the armor of his shoulder plates harder.

Starscream looked up at Soundwave, confused and in despair.

Soundwave let his grip loosen a bit and said, though as monotone and unemotional as it seemed it was filled with kindness, care and a bit of sass.

" **Starscream: Superior, Lord Megatron: Inferior** "

Starscream instantly smiled and chuckled, letting his servos drop back down to his sides.

"Don't say that out loud. You might regret it later, Sounds"

Soundwave simply made a smiley face appear upon his visor.

Starscream rolled his optics and looked back at the empty hallway.

"We should get to the control room and report to Lord Megatron before _**I**_ get in trouble"

" **Correction: We** "

Starscream let out a wry laugh,

"Like Lord Megatron would ever punish you!"

They continued walking down the hallway, As Megatron went unnoticed.

Something inside Megatron was boiling inside of him.

Punish Soundwave...?

Usually Megatron wouldn't do anything towards his friend...but right now...

He's really considering it.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god why is this here oh no oh gee oh gosh
> 
> cringe


	2. [Lord MetalWing]

**{Till They Wake}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

Starscream sat down next to SlipStream. Watching her intakes steadily.

Starscream moved forward slowly, whispering.

_"Slippy?"_

No answer.

Starscream sat back.

_"Slippy, I need your help...grab the twins we have to go soon..."_

Finally, SlipStream answered with a hum.

_"Later..."_

Starscream rolled his optics and smiled a bit.

_"I'll let you drive us there in your favorite ship"_

With that, SlipStream jolted up online.

_"Where are we going?"_

She said, optics sparkling from the beam of moonlight seeping through the cracked windows. The sun slightly rising from the distance.

Starscream smiled,

_"We're going to the castle, there's something I have to deal with the king"_

SlipStream's smile fell,

_"Wait...You're not actually...giving in...are you?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

Starscream titled his helm a bit, confused.

_"I mean...You're not actually giving the whole 'Cybertron Equality' up...right?"_

Starscream shook his helm.

_"Of course not, I'll just have to lie to that mech's faceplates"_

SlipStream sat still, silent and observing Starscream than nodded.

_"I'm driving the Star Destroyer"_

Starscream chuckled.

_"Don't damage it"_

* * *

They arrived at the castle,

A symbol of diamonds at the side of the gates told them so.

SlipStream parked the Star Destroyer near the gates.

The two other Seekers slightly falling forward but fell back,

Still deep in recharge.

Starscream hovered his servo above the exit comms when SlipStream grabbed him.

"Be careful, Star..."

Starscream nodded and smiled reassuringly at her.

"I'll be fine"

SlipStream stared at him for a moment and then let go.

Starscream pressed the comms and then left the ship.

Starscream flew above the gates, around the castle and found the window he was looking for.

With a silent command, the window opened letting Starscream access the room.

Starscream landed on his pedes on the soft metal in the berthroom.

The room was dim, moonlight and a bit of sunlight seeping through the window.

Starscream's gaze fell upon a pair of dark crimson red optics, narrowed and hard as glass, staring back at him.

**"Starscream,"**

A booming deep voice echoed from across the room.

**"Greetings"**

The large frame stood up, walking slowing towards Starscream. Starscream took a step back while listening to the heavy falling of their steps.

Starscream swallowed the lump in the back of his audial sensor.

"Greetings...Sire"

The mech was now standing in front of Starscream, he took a step back.

**"So...Are you standing your ground...?"**

The mech lowered his helm above Starscream, looming over him.

**"Or are you going to continue to live your life as one of those low-life creatures?"**

Starscream closed his servos into a fist, clutching them until Energon almost drew.

"They're not 'low-life creatures', They're Cybertronians-"

**"Don't"**

The mech grabbed Starscream's wrist and faceplate, harshly.

**"Talkback..."**

"But Sire-"

Starscream's sentence was cut off short as his faceplate and wrist was slightly crushed.

**"Or else..."**

Starscream shut his optics as he winced at the pain.

Silence filled the room, suddenly broken as Starscream winced again.

His faceplate and wrist being crushed more under his sire's strong grip.

**"Well...?"**

Starscream swallowed again.

"I, Starscream, Prince Of Vos. I am higher and superior to those below me..."

Anger surged into Starscream as every word he said was a lie, he wanted to go yell and scream but this was the only way to bring himself and his family back to the castle, to finally stop the pain.

"I am above those below me, I am below those above me. Nothing can change that, I can't change that. I am nothing...I am sorry"

The mech studied him for a moment, then let go of Starscream.

Starscream made the mistake of thinking the pain was over, until his sire grabbed the back of Starscream's helm and smashed it onto the ground.

Starscream grunted and placed his servos onto the ground, about to stand up until his sire stepped on his helm.

**"Bow upon your leader"**

How could Starscream call him a leader?

This mech was never loyalty, Starscream's creator was loyalty not him!

How could he take the crown and act as if he belonged in the castle?

He should've been the one to be thrown out of the castle, Not Skywarp! Not Thundercracker!Not SlipStream!Not Starscream!

Starscream's thoughts were cut off short as soon as he felt his sire's servo grab one of Starscream's wings, pulling on them until he felt Energon slowly draw.

"But Sire-"

**"Don't call me your 'Sire', you disgusting glitch"**

Starscream bit his glossa, It'll be all over soon.

"I'm sorry, Lord MetalWing..."

Finally he stopped stepping on Starscream, Starscream stood up while his wrist, faceplates and wing were dripping with Energon.

MetalWing grabbed Starscream's wrist again.

**"Don't disrespect me again, Starscream"**

Starscream nodded,

MetalWing let go of Starscream's wrist harshly.

**"Get your trine and the femme, they'll need to learn their place as well."**

Starscream felt his spark sink, No.

No, He can't just hurt them as well.

That's- Unforgivable!

That- He can't just-

"No,"

Starscream suddenly spoke, not realizing what he's saying.

**"Pardon?"**

MetalWing spoke, turning back to look at Starscream.

"You can't hurt them"

MetalWing stepped towards Starscream again, this time Starscream didn't back down.

**"Than what do you suggest I do as their punishment, Starscream?"**

"Nothing, You let them go. You can hurt me but not them, Not SlipStream, Not Skywarp, Not Thundercracker...Just me"

There was silence, then Starscream was thrown across the room and crashed into a glass table than into a fireplace.

The very fireplace Starscream's Creator would sit next to with the trine and SlipStream, where their sire wouldn't come and hurt them, where they would go after all the beatings, to escape.

Now it was just another place to get hurt.

Starscream hit his helm against the bricks of the fireplace.

He looked up at his sire, Energon spilling onto the well-decorated metal underneath them.

MetalWing raised his servo to strike again before saying another word.

**"So be it"**

Another strike and another blackout.

* * *

Starscream woke up in a jolt, venting heavily from his recharge.

Starscream looked around a bit, He was at the med-Bay where his trine and cousin were.

He looked to the frame next to him,

SlipStream.

She was still in stasis lock, he vented a sigh.

Starscream suddenly saw movement at the corner of his optic, He whipped his helm towards where he thought he saw something only to find no one.

He must be hallucinating, or maybe he finally lost his processor? Shockwave always thought there might be something wrong with him, maybe he was right? The bots back at Vos used to think that as well...

Starscream jumped a bit as he felt someone touch his shoulder blades,

He whipped his helm towards whoever touched him.

**_"HOLY PRIMUS-"_ **

Starscream jumped out of his chair.

Soundwave stared back at him.

"Soundwave! Oh my- Don't do that!"

Starscream slapped Soundwave's shoulder blades slightly.

**"Apologies: Starscream"**

Though the apology seemed genuine, Starscream couldn't help but notice Soundwave shaking a bit.

"...Are you laughing at me?"

**"Statement: False Soundwave: Does not laugh"**

Starscream narrowed his optics at him.

"Not out loud, that is"

Soundwave held his servos up defensively, nodding his helm slightly.

They both sat back down.

They sat silently, the only sound in the room was the monitors and screens beeping.

"...So"

Starscream started,

"You saw what happened in my processor during recharge...Didn't you?"

Soundwave sat still, hesitantly before finally answering.

**"Statement: True"**

Starscream vented a sigh.

"Look, I..."

He hesitated on his words.

"What happened there is in the past, forget about it"

Soundwave stared back at Starscream.

**"Query: Why Starscream: Thinks About: Past?"**

Starscream shrugged,

"I don't want to, I just...do...Please just...Don't look inside my processor again, okay?"

Soundwave hesitated.

**"Soundwave:Accept: Request"**

Starscream smiled a bit.

"Thanks, Sounds...How was reporting to Lord Megatron?"

Soundwave inclined his helm.

**"Lord Megatron: Requests to see: Starscream"**

Starscream vented,

"That...can't be good..."

Soundwave patted Starscream on the back, encouragingly.

**"Lord Megatron: Not in a bad mood"**

"Not yet, that is..."

Starscream stood up on his pedes and vented a sigh.

"I always seem to push him, even when I'm not doing anything bad"

**"Statement: Incorrect Starscream: Always doing something bad"**

Starscream let out a snort.

"Shut it, Visor"

Soundwave made his visor appear with a middle finger and some words saying: 'Go get Rekt, M8T'

**"Human Statement: Cash Me Outside, How 'Bout Dat"**

Starscream, in return, gave him what he was showing in his visor as well.

"Talk to you later, Visor"

Soundwave nodded his head while his visor showed an 'OK' hand gesture.

As Starscream left the med-Bay, Soundwave looked towards the shadows.

Beyond the shadows, Megatron stood...Like a creep.

**"Lord Megatron:Acting: Strange"**

Soundwave spook.

Megatron walked out of the shadows and into the light.

"Soundwave, Do you want me to rip out your voice box like I did to the Autobot Scout as well?"

Soundwave simply made his visor appear with a smiley face.

Megatron scowled, he was _really_ starting to hate those emoticons.

"Soundwave, report"

Megatron spoke as he walked up to Soundwave, looming over him.

**"Soundwave: Nothing to report"**

"I meant report about Starscream"

Soundwave looked up at Megatron.

**"Soundwave: Nothing to report"**

Megatron narrowed his optics at Soundwave suspiciously.

"Soundwave, I know you've been listening to his thoughts for a long time...I need you to tell me what's going on inside his processor."

Soundwave stared back at him, an intense tension increasing between them.

Soundwave looked down giving in, in their silent argument.

**"Starscream: Attempts to kill Lord Megatron Reason: Guilt"**

Megatron raised an optic ridge, confused.

"And why was he feeling guilty?"

**"Lord Megatron's Query:Answer:Family: Hurt"**

Soundwave looked past Megatron and towards the twins, Skywarp and Thundercracker.

**"Hurt because: War"**

Megatron sat next to Soundwave, where Starscream was first sitting, with a huff of frustration.

"So what? He feels guilty because his family got hurt? So he wants to take it out on me?"

Soundwave stared at where Megatron sat, as if Megatron took something from him. Honestly, Megatron just sat down, what's wrong with sitting down where someone else first sat?

**"Lord Megatron: Never offline Because: Starscream-"**

Soundwave stopped.

Megatron looked over at him.

"Because?"

Soundwave's servo closed into a fist, sitting on top of his lap.

"Soundwave?"

**"Because:Starscream: Cares for: Lord Megatron"**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am losing my crap  
> This fic is horrible.  
> This fanfic would've been nice to me a year ago
> 
> But now I just find it cringe worthy
> 
> Hope all of you are still with me  
> And yes, I'm aware that Starscream's father's name is literally the same in my other fic; Memories Of The Past And Only Then  
> Look, I'm lazy, it's my name


	3. Mistake

**{Till They Wake}**

* * *

Starscream walked into the wash racks.  
Why was he here again?  
Because he just has to...Just...a little.  
The lights were dim and no one was around.  
Starscream stood looking at his reflection, his gaze fell into his wrists.

  
He just had to, just a little...

  
He slowly placed a clawed digit on his right wrist before slashing it in one swift motion.  
Energon started flowing down his now cut wrist, the cut wasn't too deep.  
Just deep enough to draw Energon.

  
Besides, it wasn't like he wanted someone to notice.  
He just needed this.

  
Starscream had started this ever since everyone he cared for had died but now it became a habit.  
Something he had to do to calm his nerves or when he messes things up.

  
So why was he doing this when he isn't feeling like that at all? He hadn't messed up and he hadn't been feeling nervous so why is he doing this?

  
Maybe Starscream just loves the sensation even though he knew it was wrong.

  
Starscream stopped and started cleaning his wrists.  
There were at least five or seven cuts on his wrist now.

  
Starscream turned to leave and headed towards the door until he realized who was standing at the doorway.  
"...how long were you standing there...?"  
Starscream said, almost a whisper.

  
The mech took a step forward with a small frown on his face.  
"Long enough to see..."  
He pointed at Starscream's cut up wrist.  
" _...that_ "

  
Starscream sighed in frustration, walking towards the mech.

  
" 'Screamer, You know what you're doing it wrong...right?"

He tilted his helm to the side.

  
"Yeah I know, Knockout..."  
Starscream rubbed the back of his audial sensor.

  
The both of them stood in the wash racks, silent.

  
"You can tell me what's wrong if you want to..."  
Knockout said after a while, watching Starscream for any reaction.

  
Starscream shook his helm.  
"No, I'll be fine. Just...don't tell any bot about this, okay?"

  
Knockout narrowed his optics.  
"You know I can't do that, right? I have to tell Megatron about it, it's what I'm supposed to do."  
Starscream crossed his servos and huffed, Knockout looked down.  
"You know, Star...When Breakdown died...I was quite upset."

  
Something inside Starscream snapped when he heard Breakdown's designation, Starscream knew right away it was guilt. He always knew he felt guilty about Breakdown's death, He felt like if he had stayed on the Nemesis than Breakdown would've lived.  
Starscream shook his helm and stared down with complete anger.  
"Well maybe if you were there then maybe he'd still be alive"  
Starscream said accidentally out loud, making it seem like he meant that to Knockout when in reality he was talking to himself.  
Starscream froze realizing what it had sounded like and risked a glance at Knockout's face, His spark dropped.

  
Knockout's expression was blank, as if someone had knocked him out cold.  
At the corner of Knockout's optics were tears, his mouth was slightly agape.

  
Starscream stared at him with utter guilt but nonetheless pushed him aside and left.  
He stopped when he entered the hallway, not looking back at Knockout still in the wash racks.  
"I'm sorry"  
He muttered, loud enough to hear before walking towards the Control Deck, as Megatron had ordered, with a slightly fast pace.

  
As Starscream left Knockout lowered his helm, looking down at his servos before wiping away his tears.  
Knockout was about to leave until he saw Soundwave standing at the door.  
"You heard, didn't you?"  
Knockout said.

  
Soundwave silently nodded, letting Knockout sigh.  
"Should I report to you or Megatron?"

  
Soundwave looked down himself and then back at Knockout.  
Knockout nodded and walked back towards the Med-Bay with Soundwave behind.  
Entering the Med-Bay, Soundwave and Knockout discussed about what had happen before they realized something moving.  
They both stared at where they thought they saw movement before realizing something.

  
Knockout commed their commander with wide optics set upon what he was looking at.  
 _"Lord Megatron?"_

  
**_.:: What is it, Knockout? I'm quite...busy::._ **

  
Knockout continued to stare, in disbelief.  
How?

  
**_.:: Knockout?::._ **

  
_"Lord Megatron...?"_

  
**_.:: What?::._ **

_"They're back online"_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rushing things as always!  
> I'm an impatient little shit.  
> Well, I'd like to say that Everyone's back story is actually originally from another series I wanna make called StarStruck.  
> Just don't add the Yandere things and there you go! Everyone's backstory!  
> Anyways!  
> Sorry for this short chapter!  
> But past me was going through some shit and Present me does not give a shit.
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	4. Online

**{Till They Wake}**

* * *

Starscream entered the control deck where Megatron would normally be if he wanted to see someone.

  
The room was empty, no one around.Computers were shut down and the thrown was empty.  
Starscream stepped towards his own computer, turning it on to check some files.

  
Starscream found his private files and looked inside of them, they were filled with schemes of how to kill Megatron, more schemes of how to kill Megatron, Megatron and-

  
Okay, maybe Starscream _does_ have something wrong with him and his processor.  
There's literally _hundreds_ and _hundreds_ of obviously obsessed schemes of how to kill this **_one_** person,  
Starscream mouth plates fell into a thin line as he read all the schemes.

  
Starscream vented a sigh and deleted most of the files, he kept the ones that sort of worked and pictures of those that backfired at someone else.

  
Starscream was about to exit the files until he saw another file at the bottom left corner, one that _wasn't_ about Megatron.

  
Starscream looked into the file.  
It was a simple picture with a few bots that he knew, some of those bots were bots he _once_ knew and some of those bots were bots that died in the war.

  
Soundwave was standing in the middle, on his right was Frenzy and on his left was Rumble.  
The bot on the right that was leaning on Soundwave's shoulder blades was SlipStream, smiling at the camera lazily. Looks as if she just woke up a few nano-klicks ago.  
Next to SlipStream was Thundercracker, followed by Skywarp.

  
Shockwave stood next to Soundwave to his left, turned completely towards the left. Looking towards something at the distance, Shockwave didn't want to take the photo at all so he just looked away.

  
Behind Shockwave was Jetfire, smiling happily but looking a bit worried for whoever took the photo.

  
Behind Thundercracker and Skywarp was Breakdown with Knockout in his servos, lying dramatically.  
Knockout had a servo over his optics and the other was hanging off of Breakdowns servos.

  
Breakdown in this picture still had both of his optics, The bot that was taking the photo was Starscream.

  
Starscream stared at the photo and was about to exit the file, that was until he noticed a certain bot behind Soundwave.  
Starscream felt his mouth plates shift into a small smile,  
Megatronus was busy staring at a data file but did his best to pretend like he wasn't.  
Megatronus' faceplates had no scars, no red optics and his dentas weren't sharp.  
The photo was taken before the war, when times were simple.  
Where Megatronus wasn't Megatron, where Starscream didn't have to pretend to be a heartless monster whenever he was with all of them, where SlipStream and the Trine would be with the others and wasn't locked up in some room for following Starscream.  
Where Jetfire, Frenzy, Rumble, and Breakdown were still alive,  
Where...They all weren't lost and confused.

  
Starscream stared at the photo, remembering all of the times they all nearly died because **_someone_** was too reckless and they would be yelled at by Starscream while Megatronus tried calming him down.

  
Starscream flinched as he heard the doors to the control deck open with a hiss.  
Starscream hurriedly close the computer and turned towards the mech standing in the doorway.  
"Lord Megatron"  
Starscream bowed quickly.  
"You...Wanted to see me?"

  
Megatron stared at him, silently.  
The tension was thick, if it was possible you could almost cut through it.

  
Megatron took a few steps forward, still staring at Starscream.

Starscream's gaze fell instantly, a bit nervous about being alone with his leader.  
Usually when he's alone with his leader he would be abused, not like he cares anymore.

  
Megatron's large servo fell upon Starscream's shoulder blades.  
Silence continued on, inside the warlord's processor he was thinking of what to say.  
Honestly, after what Soundwave said, he was just confused.  
Megatron wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about first, he thought to himself for a few more moments.  
Finally coming to a conclusion, Megatron lifted Starscream's chin to look him in the optics.

  
Starscream swallowed hard, his faceplates heating up noticeably.  
 _'I hate myself'_  
He thought to himself as his faceplates were shown with a light blue hue.

  
Megatron leaned forward a bit.  
"Starscream...?"

  
Starscream mentally slapped himself in his processor, battling himself and trying so hard not to lean forward to kiss the warlord.  
"Y-Yes, my liege?"

  
The warlord took a few more moments to think.  
What is he supposed to say now?  
Should he confront his Second In Command about his feelings?  
Or should he talk about how his Second and Third in Command are being quite close and that he dislikes that.

  
Or...  
Megatron froze,  
Had he...  
No that's...  
But-  
Megatron stared deeply into Starscream's optics, The crimson red shining beautifully bright.  
The bright blue hue across Starscream's faceplates were distracting yet quite...adorable.  
Megatron leaned closer, almost close enough to touch lips.  
Megatron's optics were half-lidded as he whispered to Starscream,  
 _"I-"_

  
**_.:: Lord Megatron?::._ **

  
Megatron's optics shot open as he was cut off short when he heard someone hailing him through his comm.  
Megatron stared at Starscream for a moment.  
Starscream's expression was surprised, hiding his disappointment.

  
Megatron sighed in frustration and answered his comm after standing straight up.  
 _"What is it, Knockout? I'm quite...busy"_  
Megatron cast a sideways glance at Starscream with a small smirk, Starscream flinched and faced the other way out of embarrassment.

  
Megatron grinned to himself at how easy it was to make his Seeker flustered.

  
Megatron noticed that the medic wasn't speaking anymore.  
 _"Knockout?"_

  
**_.:: Lord Megatron...?::._ **

  
_"What?"_

  
There was another pause before Knockout answered again.  
 ** _.:: They're back online::._**

  
With that Megatron froze, he looked back at Starscream who had heard the conversation.  
Starscream looked shocked, Megatron closed his comm and walked towards him.  
"Star...?"

  
Starscream shook his helm to focus again, pushed past Megatron and ran towards the Med-Bay.  
"Starscream!"  
Megatron called out as he ran after him.

  
Before they could reach the med-bay, there was an explosion causing the med-bay doors to shoot out into the opposite wall across it.  
Starscream stopped and saw that not only the doors shot onto the walls, Soundwave and Knockout were shot out as well.

  
Starscream knelt down next to Soundwave and held his servo.  
"Are you alright?"  
Starscream said softly, Soundwave answered with a silent nod.

  
Starscream looked back at the-still smoking-med-bay.

  
Starscream stood back up and neared towards the med-bay, stepping into the smoke.  
Megatron helped Soundwave up, Knockout helping himself up.  
"Soundwave, report."

  
Soundwave replayed a video of him and Knockout walking into the med-bay, The two saw some movements and realized the Seekers had came back online.  
After Knockout hailed Megatron, SlipStream jolted awake and shot Knockout accidentally.  
Skywarp panicked and started teleporting everywhere in the med-bay.  
Thundercracker tried calming Skywarp down but only got himself with Skywarp everywhere as well.  
Megatron frowned at the screen, panicked Seekers are a pain.

  
Mostly when you have to deal with three.

  
Megatron suddenly heard a few shots from the med-bay and flashes of purple light.

  
Megatron ran in without another word, He found Starscream trying to disable SlipStream's blasters while she panicked.  
SlipStream seemed to not realize who everyone was until Starscream successfully disabled her blaster and placed his palms against her cheeks.  
SlipStream stopped squirming when Starscream placed his forehelm against hers, her intakes slowed down.  
Starscream smiled softly at SlipStream until he noticed Megatron.  
Starscream blushed, embarrassed.

  
Starscream let go of SlipStream when he saw a flash of purple.  
Starscream hurry pushed Megatron out of the way as Skywarp reappeared and accidentally shot Starscream's wings, including his arm.  
Starscream grunted and held his newly injured arm while closing one of his optics in pain.  
Skywarp stopped instantly when he saw Starscream, followed by Thundercracker.  
The smoke cleared soon and the four seekers stood silently.

  
Megatron glanced sideways, feeling incredibly out of place with four Seekers that are shorter than him.

  
Thundercracker was the first to speak.  
"Star...?"

* * *

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eat my trash and throw it out.
> 
> See you again if you haven't vomited yet


	5. [Slip Up]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
Starscream grunted once he hit the ground, he opened his optics wide at his sire who was standing in the middle of the staircase.  
The staircase leading towards their castle, their home.

  
 **"Don't ever come back..."**  
MetalWing said in his dark voice.  
 **"Until you learn your lesson, You're not to come to Vos ever again."**

  
Starscream scrambled back onto his knees.  
"W-Wait, Sire please-I"

  
MetalWing slapped a servo across Starscream's faceplates.  
 **"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"**

  
Starscream held his dented faceplates and winced in pain.  
Starscream stood back up and starting walking away until he heard a pair of very familiar voices behind him.  
Starscream turned back and saw his young brothers running down the steps, followed by his cousin.

  
They huddled behind MetalWing and started pleading him to bring Starscream back.

  
 **"If you love him so badly, THAN JOIN HIM"**  
Starscream watched in horror as he saw his sire pick up Thundercracker and throw him towards the end of the staircase.  
Starscream ran and caught Thundercracker before he could hit his helm against the pavement.

  
Starscream looked back at his sire in hate as SlipStream and Skywarp ran down to hug Starscream at his sides.  
MetalWing walked back up the stairs, not even casting one glance back at them.

  
Now what?

Starscream was kicked out of his own home only cause he wanted all bots to be equal and he had to take care of his two younger brothers and cousin.

  
Starscream silently took Thundercracker and Skywarp in one arm, holding SlipStream's servo while walking towards his ship.

  
They had to go somewhere.  
Anywhere but here.  
If they stayed here in Vos, MetalWing would have them offline.

  
Starscream placed Skywarp and Thundercracker gently on one seat,  
Making sure that they're buckled up.  
Starscream looked over his shoulder at SlipStream, she already buckled herself up.  
SlipStream was just a few thousand years older than the twins, poor femme...She went through a lot back then.  
Starscream sighed and went back to the controls, Sitting down and flying the ship away from Vos.

Starscream couldn't fly anywhere else, he was running low on fuel.

He had to land in Kaon.  
Starscream tried finding a way to make a few Shanix but the only way he could make them was becoming a bounty hunter.  
Starscream didn't like the idea but it was quick and better than becoming a pleasure drone.

* * *

  
It was a normal day when Starscream entered their broken-down hut hidden behind broken ruins.

  
"I'm home"  
Starscream called out but only heard sobbing in the other room.  
Starscream walked towards the berthroom and notice that there were glass and rumble everywhere, Starscream hurried his pace.  
Starscream slammed open the berthroom door to find everything broken, the big wooden dresser was on its side and slightly tilted up cause it was laying half on the berth.  
Starscream lifted the dresser out of the way, he saw Thundercracker and Skywarp hugging each other while crying.  
Starscream checked them for injuries, he only found dust, tears, and sweat.  
After he confirmed that they were alright he held them back so he could look them in the optics.  
"Where's SlipStream?"

  
Skywarp tried speaking but his voice box kept cracking, Thundercracker tried answering as well but the same result.  
Starscream looked at the bed, seeing that a letter was left untouched.  
Starscream stood up, picking up the letter and reading it.

  
_'Shouldn't have left my mother to die, Seeker._   
_Now I take your relative._   
_Want her back?_

  
_Come alone,_   
_Not like you have anyone else to turn to._

  
_-The Anti Crew'_

  
Starscream crushed the letter in one servo.  
The Anti crew were a group of bots who praised a made up Goddess, that for an unknown reason reminds Starscream of his carrier, named Lady Mirage. They believed that Lady Mirage is the source of all the Sigma Abilities.

  
The Anti Crew are trying to find a way to create the ultimate Sigma Ability and become the most powerful bots on Cybertron.

  
Starscream grit his dentas, meaning the Anti crew wanted _his_ Sigma abilities.

  
He muttered.  
"Scrap..."

* * *

  
"StarLight!"  
Starscream yelled while slamming the door wide open, making the poor femme jump.

  
Starscream made his way across StarLight's office.  
"Where are they?"  
He said, slamming his servos upon StarLight's desk.

  
StarLight's helm was yellow and her faceplates were white, Her optics were a bright blue while her chest piece was a dark navy blue. StarLight's stomach piece was white while her pelvis was the same color as her chest piece.  
Half of her pedes were dark blue while the other half were brown, Her servos were a light faded blue. Her headlights And metal patches were yellow like her helm.

  
StarLight looked up at him, with wide optics.  
"Look..."  
She started,  
"I don't have them yet, so you should come back tomorrow-"

  
"I'm not talking about the Shanix you owe me!"  
Starscream cut her off angrily.  
"I'm talking about the Anti Crew!"

  
StarLight's optics widened.  
"I-I...um..."  
StarLight was a spy who knows about a lot of information including the Anti Crew because she once was a part of them, Starscream would go to her every time he had a job to do for any clues.  
"Starscream...I can't...I-"

  
Starscream shook his helm and grabbed StarLight's servos.  
"Please! StarLight! Just tell me where they are!"

  
"Starscream, I can't-"

  
"They took my cousin..."

  
StarLight froze.

  
"StarLight, please?"

  
StarLight looked down at her servos that were still in Starscream's, she looked back up at him.  
"Walk with me"

* * *

  
Starscream walked with StarLight through the cities of Kaon.  
"You know it's dangerous to go alone to their base right, Starscream?"

  
"SlipStream is my cousin, It's not anyone's problem but mine."  
Starscream said as he walked in front of StarLight and pointed a finger at her.  
"So don't you dare send anyone."

  
StarLight sighed,  
"Whatever you say, Starscream..."

  
They continued to walk, StarLight started talking about the Anti Crew's base's location when they heard some noises.  
Starscream realized it was a familiar voice and ran towards it, he turned a corner into an alleyway and saw two mechs.  
One mech was creating a portal while the other held an object wrapped in a white cloth.  
Starscream noticed straight away that the object was actually SlipStream.

  
Starscream hurry ran towards them while StarLight turned the corner and saw this.  
"STARSCREAM WAIT!"  
She called out,  
Gaining the two Anti crew members' attention.

  
The one who created the portal jumped into said portal while the other was about to follow behind until Starscream grabbed him and tried grabbing SlipStream.  
"Star!"  
SlipStream cried out, trying her best to hold onto Starscream's servos.

  
"Hang in there, SlipS..."  
Starscream muttered, he looked back at the mech tugging back.  
"GIVE HER BACK!"  
Starscream yelled at the mech while trying to tug SlipStream out of his grip.

  
This tug of war continued as other voices yelled back.  
"STARSCREAM, THIS ISN'T SAFE!"  
StarLight yelled, followed by the other mech standing at the other side of the portal.  
"HURRY UP AND GRAB THE SPARKLING!"

  
"STARSCREAM!!"  
SlipStream cried out, slowly losing her grip and that's when Starscream heard another voice.  
A voice-only heard by him.

  
It was soft and gentle...  
Almost like...  
 ** _His carrier._**  
Her voice, whispering softly.  
 _"Kaws Rust"_  
A memory flashed before his optics and with that...

**_He lost his grip._ **

**_"SLIPSTREAM!"_ **

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew eW EW  
> I do NOT like THIS  
> uGh  
> okay well,
> 
> StarLight was actually an original character I created which is supposed to be a human+Cybertronian.  
> An Organicon.  
> She was supposed to be in my other series I was creating named StarStruck but I deleted her, so to remember her I'm giving her a cameo along with her boyfriend which won't appear in a few chapters I think?  
> If you want to know how old the trine and SlipStream are.  
> Imagine if they were human...  
> Thundercracker and Skywarp would be 5 while SlipStream is 10.  
> Starscream? Idk maybe 20?  
> Anyways like I said, all these backstories are originally created from my other series: StarStruck.  
> 
> 
> All characters in this chapter were originally created in StarStruck


	6. [Into The Castle]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
**_"SLIPSTREAM!"_**  
Starscream yelled out as he watched SlipStream disappear through the portal.  
His servos were still pressed against the wall, shock still.  
In frustration, he slammed his servo against the wall and growled.  
Starscream turned swiftly around to look at StarLight.  
"YOU KNEW THEY WERE HERE, DIDN'T YOU?!?"

  
StarLight took a few steps back.  
"I-I-"

  
"YOU BROUGHT ME HERE AT THE EXACT TIME AND LOCATION! WHY?!?"

  
StarLight stared at him for a moment then took a deep intake before replying.  
"Yes, I purposely brought you here. I brought you here cause I knew they'd be here, but I didn't know they'd bring SlipStream through this area."

  
Starscream stomped towards StarLight in fury.

  
"You need to realize that they're stronger than you. You're outgunned and outmanned, How do you expect to fight off fifty mechs?"

  
Starscream grabbed her by the shoulder blades.  
"WHERE IS THEIR BASE?!?"

  
StarLight hesitated, then finally replied.  
"Fine."  
She knew that Starscream wouldn't let this go so she told Starscream anyways.

* * *

  
Starscream flew around the hidden ruined castle in the skies, this castle was originally one of the high commands' home.  
But once the high command fell, so did the castle.  
Abandoning history, The Anti Crew raided the castle and took it as their base.  
The castle was a ship, driving everywhere slowly in a full circle.

Starscream landed outside the gates. The castle's shadows were looming over him, Starscream took note of the one open window at the top of the castle's tower.

  
As Starscream took one step towards the castle, a group of mechs appeared through portals and flashes of blue.  
They stared at Starscream, silently ordering him to follow. Half of the mechs were waiting behind him while the others were already walking into the castle.  
Starscream followed them while taking note of the Anti Crew's brand.  
Their finish was completely white, mixed with any bot's favorite color.  
Starscream also noticed that all of them were wearing blindfolds and never stopped smiling.

  
They entered the castle, it was dark and the smell of the castle was so strong.  
Like barbecue and exotic foods were left out to rot on a sunny day.  
The hallways were filled with dried up puddles of Energon and robotic limbs, some puddles of Energon and limbs were fresh.

  
Starscream and the Anti crew made it to the throne room.  
A long white carpet was laying on the floor, across the throne room and put all the way to the entrance of the castle.  
A purple throne was shining clean with white cushions and a lovely white spade was printed on the throne's top.  
If you look closer, you could see a few scratches on the throne.

  
On the throne was a bot, light grey helm, white faceplates, purple chest plates, purple on the end half of their pedes while the other half was grey, their left optic had a scar that wasn't bothered to be fixed, their optics were fully black, their pupils were white and they had a large purple cape wrapped around their shoulder blades.  
The bot's frame was slim, built almost alike to Starscream's frame.

  
**_Frighteningly alike..._ **

  
But the one thing that caught Starscream's attention,  
Was that there was a red ribbon around their audial sensor.  
A red ribbon...That was originally Starscream's carrier's.

  
Starscream's gaze lifted from the ribbon to the bot's faceplates, they had a large smile that wouldn't break.  
But by the look in their optics, they were _**really**_ pissed.  
"Greetings, Starscream"  
The bot's voice was somewhat sultry, somewhat...smooth and lyrical.   
Starscream stared back at them, feeling nostalgic for an unknown reason.  
"My designation is, The Emperor"  
The bot said after standing up from the throne and bowing formally.

  
"Where's SlipStream?"

Starscream took a step forward, ignoring the Anti crew pointing their blades at him.

  
The Emperor walked down the steps of the throne, their hips slightly swaying.  
"Patience...I still have not taken what was mine..."  
The Emperor placed a clawed digit under Starscream's chin, raising it slightly to make him stare at them properly.  
"My revenge..."

  
"What did I ever do to you?"  
Starscream narrowed his optic ridges, trying to remember any bot that was related to this 'Emperor' but he didn't find anything.  
"I didn't kill anyone from the Anti Crew, let alone anyone's mother..."

  
If it was possible, The Emperor's smile grew wider.  
"It doesn't matter who you killed...It's about who saved..."

  
Starscream froze.

  
"You didn't save your carrier"

  
Starscream felt his Energon run cold.

  
"When she was berthridden...You had a chance to save her..."

  
Starscream felt his servo close into a fist.

  
"But you didn't...You just turned away...Not even casting a glance..."

  
Starscream felt himself form a scowl.

  
"Because to you 'love'...is nothing but a lie"

  
Having enough of this bot, Starscream swung his fist and punched the Emperor across the faceplates.  
The bot fell onto the stairs, holding their jaw while smiling widely.  
The mechs behind Starscream, grabbed him and took him away while The Emperor started laughing darkly.

* * *

  
Starscream fell, his servos getting scraped on the rough impact on the ground.  
The doors behind him shut, leaving the room completely dark.  
Starscream stood up and started banging on the doors.  
"WHERE IS SLIPSTREAM, DAMN IT?!"

  
After a few more tries, he lowered his wings and helm in defeat until they shot up again as he heard 'booming' noise behind him, followed with a large source of light.  
Turning around, he saw a chair with unlocked cuffs, splattered Energon all over the chair and around it.  
Starscream took a long intake, noticing that the room he was in was small.  
Silence filled the room despite the constant dripping of water at the corner and the seldom creak from the light above, dangling from the ceiling.

  
Suddenly, Starscream heard the doors open once again.  
Starscream turned around with a scowl on his faceplates, it disappeared in an instant as he saw The Emperor, a few mechs and SlipStream.  
Starscream took a step forward before The Emperor pointed at him,  
"Don't try anything, Star..."

  
Starscream glared at them before being pushed back onto the chair by one of the mechs that walked up behind him.  
Starscream's servos and pedes were cuffed against the chair, staring at The Emperor in hate.  
SlipStream struggled against the mech who was holding her.  
She had a cloth around her mouth plates, muffling her cries.  
The mech brought her to the corner, out of the light and out of Starscream's line of vision.

  
The Emperor loomed over Starscream, smiling widely.  
"Now..."  
Starscream stared back at The Emperor.  
"What shall I do to you for revenge,"  
The Emperor gripped the chair's head, enough to dent it.  
 _"Brother?"_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OCs were originally supposed to be in my StarStruck AU but sadly(greatly) I changed my mind and no longer need them in StarStruck so they're just small specks of plot in this story.


	7. [Fly Or Die]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
Starscream stared up at The Emperor.  
Of course, they're his sibling...No one else would have the same frame structure.

  
The Emperor leaned back and grabbed something while Starscream stared at the dark figure of SlipStream at the corner.  
The Emperor hovered the object they grabbed above Starscream, breaking his gaze from SlipStream, he eyed the object carefully.

  
A needle.

  
"Tell me, Brother..."  
The Emperor started,  
"When you activated your first Sigma Ability, was it an elemental ability?"

  
"No, I don't have any elemental abilities-"  
Starscream was cut off short as he winced in pain, the needle entering through the metal armor just above Starscream's left optic.

  
 _ **"WRONG ANSWER!"**_  
The Emperor yelled at Starscream in fury, though the smile on their faceplates never changing.  
At the corner, SlipStream flinched at the sudden loud volume in The Emperor's sudden change of mood.  
"Where is Thundercracker and Skywarp?"

  
Starscream blinked several times to get his left optic to work before finally answering The Emperor.  
"Like Pits, I'd tell you..."

  
The Emperor pushed the needle deeper into the metal, making the needle touch the endoskeleton.  
"It's touching your skull now...One more push and it'll crack..."

  
Now, Starscream was the one to laugh.  
"You think I'm afraid of death?"

  
The Emperor's smile shifted into a small frown.

  
"I've seen things you haven't seen and you're not even aware that what you have,"  
Starscream nodded his helm towards SlipStream.  
"Is the most dangerous among all of us...Go ahead, try hurting her. Punch her, She'll punch back. Fight her, She'll attack...Kill her..."  
Starscream let out a low chuckle.  
"Well, let's see how you'd like to see someone coming back from the dead..."

  
The Emperor's optic ridges drew together in frustration, they tugged the needle out of Starscream.  
Starscream winced as The Emperor   
un-cuffed him, Starscream got up and tried to run towards SlipStream until he found himself falling to his side on the rough ground.  
Starscream suddenly felt a large wave of pain, his audio sensors started ringing.  
Looking down himself, he saw a hole in his chassis.  
Starscream looked up at The Emperor, only managing to look up at their chest.  
The Emperor had a ray gun which was now smoking from the blast pointing towards Starscream's chest.

  
"-Threaten me again..."  
Starscream heard The Emperor, trying to keep himself online.  
"-hoped you enjoyed the chlorine I injected you with...It's really hard to create those, you know?"

  
Starscream's vision started to blackout, he could see the mechs leave the room and into another exactly the same with SlipStream and The Emperor.  
As the doors shut there were screams and wails of pain coming from the other room while others started laughing psychotically.  
Starscream tried crawling towards the door but only managed to worsen the wound.  
Starscream's Energon started pooling out,   
_"damn it"_  
Starscream muttered, as he slowly went offline.

* * *

  
Starscream went back online, he was still in the room.

  
The crying of pain had stopped.

  
Starscream crawled towards the wall and pushed himself back up, trying to ignore the pain.

  
Starscream slowly walked towards the table with tools, including the needle of chlorine The Emperor used on Starscream, while pressing his servo on the wall as support.  
He grabbed a blowtorch and heated up the metal on his chest, he pulled the Energon stained cables inside and metal scraps.  
Starscream fixed the wound but he knew if he moved too much it'd open up once again, it didn't matter.  
Starscream opened the door where SlipStream was, she was on the floor and hurt.  
Starscream lifted her up before realizing something.

  
 _'No...'_  
Starscream thought,  
 _'No, No, No, No...'_  
He slammed his fist into the floor, the impact echoing around the hallow room.  
 ** _'THOSE BASTARDS!!'_**

  
Starscream got up and stomped out of the room, SlipStream in his servos.  
Outside the room there were two mechs standing at the doorway, turning around once they heard the door open with a low hiss and aimed their ray guns at Starscream.  
Starscream grabbed one of them with one servo and twisted their servo, making the mech drop his ray gun.   
Starscream kicked up the ray gun, dodging the mechs' attacks and grabbed it, shooting both the mechs and walking down the hallway.

  
Walking down the hallway, mechs lunged towards them but only got shot by Starscream.

  
Starscream walked up the stairs towards the tallest tower and entered the room.  
Inside was a few furniture, couches colored in red with a cloth over its middle colored in white, tables with the same design and some old art on the ground gathering dust.

  
The open window Starscream saw before was now blocked by The Emperor, They were looking out, staring down at the castle.  
The Emperor turned around to face Starscream, smiling at him.

  
"You sick monster..."  
Starscream muttered.  
"Not only did you take away SlipStream's Sigma Abilities but you-you-"  
Starscream choked on his own words, he could taste his own Energon.  
"How do you fragging sleep at night, you glitch?"

  
The Emperor tilted their helm to the side, their smile never changing.

  
No answer.

  
Starscream pressed his dentas together. He lunged at The Emperor and held them by the vocalizer, choking them.  
"ANSWER ME!"

  
The Emperor chuckled, despite the fact they are being choked to death.  
They reached out and placed a digit to Starscream's insignia, the Seeker insignia.  
"Taking away what makes ground mechs different towards flight mechs..."

  
Starscream stared at The Emperor, shocked.

  
"It's funny...How you want equality...when you could just... ** _rip_** your own wings off and then you'll be equal..."

  
Starscream leaned forward swiftly and ripped off The Emperor's wings.  
"You are not my sibling..."  
Starscream lifted The Emperor by the vocalizer and out of the window.  
"You're a monster..."

  
"Like you...?"  
The Emperor said, not bothered by the fact they're about to die.  
"You didn't save our carrier... ** _HOW ARE YOU ANY DIFFERENT FROM ME?!_** "  
They spat, breaking character.  
"YOU COULDN'T SAVE HER, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN SAVE THE REST?!? ONLY I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND YOU COULDN'T SAVE THEM! YOU ONLY HAD TO SAVE ONE! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED-"

  
Before The Emperor could finish, Starscream's servo slipped.

  
The Emperor fell, Starscream tried to catch them but only caught the red ribbon.

  
Starscream's optics went wide, holding the ribbon and watching his own sibling fall cause of him.  
The Emperor's cape hit the ground but there was no thud, no splatter of Energon...just the cape landing softly...They were gone...They disappeared...

  
Starscream stood up and looked over his shoulder blades at SlipStream's wingless, recharging frame.  
Starscream knelt down next to SlipStream before a group of mechs stormed into the room.  
Starscream hurriedly stood up, before he could do anything the Anti Crew shot Starscream.  
Starscream fell down next to SlipStream, falling unconscious...

  
Not before seeing a large mech stepping into the room and blasting the Anti crew members and kneeling next to Starscream, Starscream's vision blackened before he could see the mech's faceplates.

* * *

  
StarLight continued to pace around her office, her mate; Mega Maximus sitting down in one chair while he tried to calm her nerves.

  
"StarLight, They'll be fine!"  
Maximus said, trying to calm her down.

  
"What if they aren't, Max?"  
StarLight said, turning to face Mega Maximus.  
"What if that mech isn't trustworthy?"

  
Before Mega Maximus could answer, there was a gentle knock on the door.  
They stayed there in silence for a moment before Maximus stood up and opened the door.  
"Megatronus"  
Maximus greeted before stepping out of the way.

Megatronus stepped in.

  
"Well?"  
StarLight spoke impatiently.

  
"No worries, your highness. They're safe"  
Megatronus spoke,  
"They're in the med-bay in the next room, healing"

  
StarLight nodded, though she was still unsure.  
"Alright, here's your payment"

  
StarLight handed Megatronus five million Shanix but he pressed it back into her small servo.  
"No need, I helped you because I know you well. I did it for you, not for shanix"

  
StarLight stared up at him, quite shock before narrowing her optics at him suspiciously.  
Maximus walked over to Megatronus and gave him a handshake.  
"Thanks, Bud"  
He gave the gladiator a warm smile.

  
Megatronus smiled back before waving goodbye.  
He was standing at the doorway before stopping, he turned his helm back over his shoulder blades at the two lovebirds.  
"Before I go..."  
Megatronus started,  
"That mech you told me to save...Who is he?"

  
StarLight narrowed her optics more out of suspicion.  
"Starscream..."  
She crossed her servos and leaned against her work desk.  
"Starscream, Prince of Vos"

  
Megatronus stood there for a moment, thinking. Before nodding and walking off.  
 _'Starscream, Prince of Vos...'_  
The gladiator thought as he walked down the hallway.  
 _'I hope we see each other again soon...'_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Line that was deleted when Starscream encountered The Emperor in the tower. "How long were you standing there?"
> 
> Another chapter, brought to you by future chapter: MetalWing becomes more of a dick than he already is.


	8. [Two Seekers]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
Thousands of years ago, A young femme named Alkes Lynx, The princess of Vos had fallen for a mech named Natle Comet, A low-rank civilian.

  
Alkes Lynx was the next to become queen of Vos, so she had to marry a mech named MetalWing.

  
Alkes still loved Natle and secretly ran off with him millions and millions of times...

  
One day, Alkes was sparked with two Seeker Twins.

  
The medics had found out that one of the sparklings was Natle's offspring.  
To protect the sparkling they gave it away to Natle and told him to run far away.

  
The twin sparklings were Starscream and Dark Eclipse...

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A low rank seeker civilian clapped a high caste seeker princess' cheeks. Starscream, be ashamed.


	9. [One Flies Away]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
"Sire...?"  
Eclipse walked into the small dimly lit living room, Their small sparkling frame too short to look at their sire's faceplates.

  
"Yes, Eclipse?"  
Natle said as he picked up his sparkling and sat them down on his lap.

  
"Why is carrier always gone?"

  
Natle hesitated before sighing.  
"Your carrier is married to the king of Vos, If she stayed here she'd be abandoning her people and putting us in danger"

  
"But why is she married to him when she loves you?"

  
Natle gave Eclipse a small, sad smile.  
"Because I wasn't supposed to be with an angel like her"

  
Eclipse leaned back, grossed out by the lovey-dovey compliment, like any other sparkling would.  
"Ew"

  
Natle let out a small laugh before gently stroking Eclipse's helm.  
Eclipse slowly fell into recharge, their chassis rising and dropping slowly.  
Natle smiled, watching his sparkling until he looked up at the window.

  
It had started to rain.

  
"Come home soon, Alkes..."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stole your mother's toilet paper.
> 
> Be afraid.
> 
> Be very afraid.


	10. [Two Birds And One Stone]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
_"Sire...?"_  
Eclipse muttered, trying to keep their voice down.  
Natle shushed them and closed the closet door so that Eclipse wouldn't be seen.  
 _"Sire, Are we safe...?"_

  
Natle opened the closet door slightly, looking at his offspring with a little sadness. He offered them a small, sad smile.  
 _"Don't worry, Eclipse...It'll all end up fine...I promise..."_

  
Eclipse stared at their sire, unsure but trusting.  
Slowly they closed the doors again, looking through the crack in the middle.

  
A few tense moments later, there were sudden bangs on the front door.

  
Natle carefully opened the door before royal guards of Vos appeared, followed by King MetalWing.  
"Your highness..."  
Natle said as he knelt down on one knee and bowed his helm at his superior.  
Natle looked back up at MetalWing.  
"What brings you here...?"

  
 **"My royal guards had informed me that my untrustworthy, slag of a mate, Alkes Lynx had been running off with a low life peasant..."**  
MetalWing narrowed his optics at Natle.  
 **"Do you know any of this 'peasant'?"**

  
Natle shook his helm,  
"No, your highness..."

  
MetalWing chuckled darkly before punching Natle across the faceplates.  
 **"LIAR!"**

  
Natle held his jaw and looked up, the punch caused his entire frame to turn sideways and facing the closet Eclipse was hiding in.  
Natle saw through the cracks, and the frightened expression Eclipse had on their faceplates.

  
With a silent message, Natle gave a small reassuring smile to Eclipse.  
 ** _.:: It's alright::._**  
Eclipse hid further in the shadows of the closet, watching the event.  
Natle looked back at MetalWing, wiping away a bit of Energon that had escaped out of the corner of his mouth.  
"Fine..."  
Natle admitted,  
"I know who she keeps running off with..."

  
MetalWing came closer and stepped on Natle's Wing.  
 **"Who"**  
Natle hesitated, thinking about what the consequences might cause for both him and Eclipse.  
MetalWing went impatient and crushed Natle's wing under his pede.  
 ** _"WHO WAS IT?!"_**

  
"ME, YOU INTRUSIVE SCRAPHEAP!"

  
MetalWing fell silent, bemused.  
Before crushing Natle's wing until it was crumpled and thin like a thin sheet of broken metal, Natle bit down on his glossa, trying to muffle his scream of pain for Eclipse.  
Despite his efforts, Eclipse muffled their gasp of horror, not quite muffling it in time.  
MetalWing's helm shot up and stared at the closet.

  
"W-Wait..."  
Natle said, gasping and gulping down his own Energon from biting too hard on his glossa.  
"N-No...!"

  
MetalWing lurked closer towards the closet, despite Natle's protests.  
MetalWing grabbed the two doors and swung them open to reveal Eclipse.  
Noticing the frame and faceplates structure, MetalWing was enlightened with rage.  
MetalWing grabbed Eclipse and slide them across the floor, slamming the closet doors. Eclipse's back was now against the doors, staring up at their half sire in fear.  
MetalWing raised his servo to strike Eclipse-

  
"Please..."

  
MetalWing stopped, looking down to see Natle, holding on to MetalWing's left pede and slightly pulling on his cape for dear life, pathetically trying to stop him from hurting his offspring.

  
"Don't...hurt them..."  
Natle coughed, Energon splattered onto MetalWing's pede.

  
MetalWing stared at Natle, getting a nostalgic feeling about how Natle behaved...

  
_Starscream_

  
He had his loyalty for those he loved,  
The bravery, the stubbornness...The fire in his eyes, expressions...The wing model...And their power of will...They were all very much alike to Starscream...  
And MetalWing had nothing in common with his offspring other than their lust for the thrown, despite their complete differences of how to rule the kingdom.  
MetalWing slowly walked around Natle, Stopping when he was at Natle's pedes.  
 **"...You dare order me...?"**  
MetalWing boomed,  
 **"Your efforts of stopping your own demise is pathetic"**

  
MetalWing pulled out a sharp blade from his inner metal sleeve, tossing it slightly up before grabbing the handle and stabbing Natle at the shoulder blades.  
Natle grunted, biting down on his glossa to muffle his wails of pain.  
Eclipse gasped in horror but couldn't find their strength to scream or do anything other than that.  
MetalWing pulled the blade back and slashed at Natle's vocalizer, not enough to sever Natle's helm from his vocalizer but enough to draw multiple amounts of Energon.  
MetalWing raised the blade high above his helm, before bringing it down at Natle's spark chamber, draining life from his spark.  
Eclipse's frame froze, their optics focused on Natle's frame that was slowly draining from life.  
Eclipse didn't bother wiping away the splattered Energon on their faceplates, too focused and shocked at the frame laying in front of them.  
Eclipse's mouth felt dry, watching the Energon slowly pool, almost touching their pedes.  
The color and warmth that was once Eclipse's sire, was now turning grey, his optics staring lifelessly back at Eclipse.

  
 **"There..."**  
MetalWing said, breathlessly.

  
 _'You promised me...'_  
Eclipse thought,

  
 **"Now for you..."**  
MetalWing stepped over Natle's frame.

  
_'You promised me that we'd be okay...'_

MetalWing knelt down in front of Eclipse, tilting their chin up so they could look at him in the optic.  
 **"You would've been a great heir..."**  
Eclipse, not listening to him and staring between them, focused on seemingly nothing while MetalWing continued.  
 **"Greater than Starscream..."**  
MetalWing sighed, raising his blade and aiming it at Eclipse's spark chamber.  
 **"You could've been the embodiment of fear and pain..."**

_'You...'_  
Eclipse stared back at MetalWing.  
 _'You killed my Sire...'_

  
**"You could've shown Cybertron what you were made of...What pain truly is..."**

  
_'I hate you...'_

  
**"You could've been..."**

  
_'I swear on my dying intake, you will pay for what you did...'_

  
**"The Emperor Of This World..."**

Eclipse felt a quick and sudden pain in their spark chamber. Looking down, they saw the blade MetalWing had in his servo was now through his chassis.  
Slowly Eclipse felt life drain from their frame as MetalWing pulled the blade back and walked back out the dark hut with his royal guards.  
Eclipse fell on their side, the only light source was the fresh pools of Energon.  
Eclipse's gaze was darkening, everything was ending so soon...And yet MetalWing was still out there...And Eclipse's twin...Their oblivious twin that should've never existed...Their bond never even existed cause he wasn't even aware of the scrap that was happening behind closed doors...

  
 _'That oblivious twin brother and half sire should've never existed...It should've only been Natle, Alkes and me, Only us.'_  
Eclipse thought as their life was draining, quickly now.  
 _'They'll all pay for this...They all will...'_  
Eclipse's frame's color was drained and now completely light grey.  
The color in their optics completely gone, they wet completely black and their pupils were white.  
Eclipse's lifeless frame stayed there, unmoving and cold...

_Until a voice boomed._

**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **   
**_"This isn't the end..."_ **

  
It continued, nonstop.  
Becoming more louder and louder.  
But no matter how loud...Eclipse was the only one who heard it...

  
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _   
_**"This isn't the end..."** _

Finally, it ended...

  
While _Eclipse_...

  
No,

  
 _The Emperor_...  
 _Awakens_

* * *

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooo what a shocker oh oh my nobody saw that coming oh jee


	11. [Two Seekers, One Flies Away While The Other Stays]

**{The Emperor And The Prince}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
It was a cold rainy day,

Droplets of water coming down hard and fast, but none of which could be bothered by Starscream.  
Starscream had just graduated from the Flight Academy multiple cycles ago when he'd been informed about a mysterious attack on the castle.  
An attack that caused Starscream's carrier, Alkes Lynx to come down with a mysterious sickness that was more severe than the cosmic rust.

  
Starscream had finally made his way to the castle gates, the guards stopping him and telling him that they had moved Alkes Lynx to the castle's garden shed for quarantine.  
Starscream nodded and ran past the gates, through the formal ballroom and into the garden filled with flowers known as Alkes Flowers.  
Starscream ran through the garden and into the tiny shed at the very end of the garden, only to be stopped by multiple doctors and medics.  
"LET ME THROUGH!"  
Starscream yelled, frustrated and worried.  
The medics continued to try and reason with him that her condition was highly unstable and could infect those who weren't securely protected by it's elements.  
Starscream let out a shout of frustration and stomped his way back to the center of the garden, where a water fountain stood.  
Starscream sat down on the edge of the water fountain and placed his helm into his servos, water droplets falling onto his back and delicate wings.

  
Multiple cycles past until the medics had told Starscream that it was safe to see Alkes.  
Starscream walked slowly into the shed, staring ahead at his carrier.  
Alkes was laying in a makeshift berth, her intakes were horrifyingly slow and uneven.  
She was sweating uncontrollably and her frame was overheated. 

  
Alkes noticed Starscream's movements and shifted her helm to look at him.  
 _"Star..?"_  
Her smooth voice now so weak, stinging Starscream like a knife.  
 _"How was your day..?"_

  
Starscream stared back at her, leaving her question unanswered.  
How could he answer that like it was just a normal day?   
How can he pretend everything was fine...  
How?

  
 _"How was my little Emperor...?"_  
Starscream flinched at the nickname.

  
That...  
That was why...  
Because even if she was sick and if she was dying...  
She wanted to know that he was alright,  
That he was okay.

  
Starscream gave a small smile,  
"I'm fine..."  
Starscream grabbed a cloth and rubbed gently at Alkes' sweaty forehelm.

  
Alkes stared back at Starscream, her optics were dim and half-lidded.  
 _"Star..."_

  
Starscream leaned in, trying to listen to her.  
Alkes pulled out an object and placed it on Starscream's forehelm.  
Starscream reared back and held his forehelm and winced, he felt a sudden helmache form but only for a few moments.  
Starscream than realized what Alkes had placed on his helm.  
"The...Diamond of Immortality..."  
Starscream grabbed the diamond and tried his best to remove it.  
"No-No-NO!CARRIER, WHY WOULD YOU-?!"  
Alkes smiled as the monitors beside her started dropping.

Every medic and doctor from earlier now rushing in to help her as Starscream slowly stepped back, his servo falling from his helm and covering his gaping mouth.  
Starscream turned away and ran off, ignoring his loud sparkbeats and the monitors dropping to 0.  
When Starscream finally stopped running, he managed to yank out the red diamond from his helm.  
 _'I could've saved her...'_  
He thought, staring at the diamond.  
 _'I could've saved her if I just...'_  
Starscream fell to his knees and cried out.

  
After every medic and doctor left, leaving Alkes' body untouched for now, A bot slipped into the shed.  
They removed the white cloth the medics had covered Alkes' frame with, to look at her grey lifeless faceplates.  
A single teardrop fell and landed on her cold grey cheek.  
They slowly rubbed the tear away and in the process, moving the cloth further down to reveal a certain item wrapped around Alkes' vocalizer.

  
A red ribbon.

  
The bot stared at it in their palm, a tear dropping onto the fabric and staining it temporarily.  
The bot wrapped it around their vocalizer as a pair of pedes fell behind them.

"Emperor Eclipse, A ship above the skies has been located. What shall we do?"

  
The Emperor didn't turn, they merely stared sideways to where the mech was standing.  
"Hail all the troops...We're taking that ship as our base..."

  
"Yes, Emperor!"

  
The Emperor covered Alkes with the cloth again once the mech flown off, They walked out and closed the shed door.  
 _'I thought you were better, brother...'_  
The Emperor thought as they grabbed an Alkes Flower from one of it's glowing bushes.  
 _'But seems like I was wrong...You left her...You left me...Now let's see who will surrender...'_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters die but I don't care, OC's don't matter.


	12. Reunion

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
This...

  
 _Wasn't_ how Starscream envisioned a reunion.

  
Starscream frantically tried to pry Skywarp off him while Thundercracker was standing at the corner of the med-bay still not speaking to anyone.  
SlipStream was busy explaining how they survived while Skywarp was still hugging Starscream, servos wrapped around Starscream's back and lower torso.  
Starscream kept trying to pry Skywarp off, his faceplates heating up in embarrassment as he felt his leader's gaze focusing on him.  
Megatron's gaze was still on Starscream, focused on his wings and his expressions.  
It only broke when Thundercracker nudged Megatron at the side, looking at him coldly as if to say 'Back off'.  
Megatron was reluctant but obeyed, casting one last glance at Starscream before stepping back.  
Starscream finally got Skywarp off him though Skywarp seemed one hundred percent ready to pounce on Starscream and hug him to death once again.

  
Thundercracker placed a servo on Starscream's shoulder, pulling him back a bit before Skywarp jumps on Starscream again.  
"Star, I have to talk to you"  
Thundercracker said, walking in front of Starscream and leaning against the med-bay wall to face him.

  
"Uh...Okay"  
Starscream muttered, staring back at Thundercracker.

  
Silence filled the room.

  
"Alone"  
Thundercracker added, staring back at SlipStream and Skywarp before staring daggers at Megatron.

  
Starscream turned his helm back to Skywarp and SlipStream, they both nodded and left the med-bay.  
Megatron and Starscream stared at each other, awkward tension flowing in the air as the two remembered what happened in the control deck a few moments ago.  
Megatron decided to leave, the slightly visible blush on his face not leaving until he was far away from Starscream.

  
What did that damn Seeker do to him?

  
Megatron continued to walk down the hallway until a sudden smack on the shoulder caused him to stop his train of thoughts and look at the bot that decided to end their fate for no valuable reason.  
Megatron's dark expression softened slightly when he realized that it was just SlipStream, smirking up at him like he did something and it was obvious.  
"Megatron"  
SlipStream said, her smile was as smug as ever.

  
"SlipStream...?"  
Megatron said, wondering why she seemed so smug for no reason.  
It was as if she **_didn't_** shoot everything in a panic only mere cycles ago.  
Megatron decided not to push it and continue to walk, hoping to leave without any regrets of not extinguishing any sparks.  
Unfortunately, SlipStream didn't get the hint and followed Megatron, walking by his side with her servos behind her back and said back leaning forward to look at Megatron's faceplates, her smug grin not leaving.  
"So..."  
SlipStream started,  
"Saw you staring at my cousin earlier..."  
SlipStream side glanced at Megatron, her grin growing wider.  
"Starscream, huh?"

  
Megatron felt his faceplates heat up slightly for an unknown reason.  
"I do not understand why you're pestering me about how I stare at my comrades, let alone my Second."

  
SlipStream held her servos up defensively, shaking them slightly.  
"Oh, Lord Megatron!"  
SlipStream started, her tone sounding slightly offended.  
"I would never pester you!I'm merely assuming!"

  
Megatron stopped, side glancing at SlipStream, curious and yet slightly afraid.  
"Assuming what?"

  
SlipStream's smug grin returned but this time it was a smirk.  
"I assume that you have some kind of _loving relationship_ with my cousin, Correct?"

  
Megatron felt himself sputter.  
"W-What?!"  
Megatron turned to face SlipStream completely, feeling utterly shell shocked and for some reason...flustered?  
"Starscream's relationship with me is nothing more than-than-"  
Megatron seemed to stumble on his own words, his processor halting to a stop as he tried to come up with something.

  
Having enough with him, SlipStream's optics rolled as she sighed in frustration.  
"If you two were so ' ** _non-romantics_** ' with each other,"  
SlipStream said, her digits coming up to create air quotes.  
"then tell me why you **_and Starscream_** ended up in the med-bay after Knockout hailed **_ONLY_** You?"

  
Megatron pointed a digit at her and opened his mouth to argue back but his processor seemed to be out of it today because nothing came out, again.

  
"How **_did_** Starscream find out about his trine and cousin being back online? _Surely_ , you two _were_ in the same room?"  
SlipStream continued.  
"But the true question is..."  
SlipStream stepped closer to Megatron, eyeing him suspiciously with a smug and devious smirk.  
"What **_were_** you two doing beforehand?"

  
That seemed to be enough for Megatron, He pushed himself away from SlipStream and stomped off in a completely, uncharacteristic, flustered state.

  
"Don't worry, Megs! You're a very handsome mech!"  
SlipStream called after him from the other side of the hallway.  
"I would have you for myself if I wasn't into femmes! There's no way Starscream would say 'no' to you!"

  
Megatron heard her sultry laughs still echoing as he made his way into his private quarters, he really couldn't tell if SlipStream was trying to encourage him, if you even call that encouragement, or push him down with doubts.  
Whatever she was trying to do, Megatron felt so overheated.  
The possibility of what might've happened in the control deck if Knockout hadn't interrupted was frightening and yet quite overwhelmingly exciting?  
 _'Frag'_  
Megatron thought as a mental image of Starscream smiling at him deviously appeared in his processor.  
Megatron tried to force it away, only worsening it and capturing more and more of small moments that Megatron barely cared about until now.  
 _'Damn it'_  
Megatron sat on the corner of his berth, his faceplates in his servos, trying to focus on other pressing matters but only heightening his damnable lust for his Second In Command.   
_'What did that traitorous Seeker do to me?'_

* * *

  
"What was it you wanted to talk about, TC?"  
Starscream asked, lifting himself up and sitting on the med-bay berth.

  
Thundercracker glanced sideways, thinking for a moment before looking back at Starscream.  
"I want you to resign"

  
Starscream froze, Thundercracker's words repeating in his processor.  
"Eh?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deleted smut scene in this chapter because I thought it'd be too soon


	13. [Broken And Shattered Pieces]

**{A List Of Victims}**

**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

  
"Starscream...?"  
Skywarp opened the door slowly to peer inside, the door creaking slightly at the small movement.  
Thundercracker was behind Skywarp, looking over his shoulder blades to peer at their older brother.  
Starscream laid on his side in the center of the large and massive berth, his wings were drooped low. Starscream's faceplates muffled in a pillow while his servos and pedes were around it. It had been 2 whole weeks Starscream hadn't left his room.  
The war outside of Vos was starting to get worse...They would help out in the war but currently, the Prince was busy...  
"Starscream, are you okay...?"

  
Starscream didn't answer once again, he shifted and his wings twitched slightly.  
Skywarp and Thundercracker walked into the room, their footsteps were muffled by the soft carpet under their pedes.  
Thundercracker leaned on the wall next to the door while Skywarp gently closed said door, his optics never leaving Starscream as if he was afraid the Seeker might leave.  
Skywarp let go of the doorknob and sat on the edge of Starscream's berth, watching Starscream's wings twitch from time to time.  
"...Star, Do you want to talk about what happened...?"  
Skywarp tried once again.

  
This time, Starscream sat up slowly.  
His back still turned from Skywarp and his helm held low.  
"Star...?"  
Skywarp hovered his servo near Starscream's wings, wondering if it was a good idea to touch him while he was in a clearly bad state.  
Skywarp gently ran his servo down Starscream's wing, taking it back and waiting for a response or reaction.

  
Nothing.

  
"Star, we're your brothers...Please, tell us what happened"

  
Starscream's helm shifted up and he turned slightly, allowing Skywarp to see Starscream's depressed and misty-eyed state.  
Skywarp leaned in and wrapped his servos around Starscream in a comforting gesture, Starscream looked down at Skywarp's shoulder blades, not bothering to hug back.  
Skywarp let go after a few moments.  
"Now..."  
Thundercracker sat down next to Starscream and across from Skywarp, to listen to them.  
"What happened?"

  
Starscream glanced down for a moment, thinking.  
Finally he looked back up at Skywarp and shifted slightly to get comfortable.

* * *

  
"What do you mean 'It's too late' ?!"  
Starscream shouted,  
"It's **_never_** too late to take everything back! Megatronus, You're creating a war against Orion when all of this could be avoided!"  
It was the day Megatron had started the war, everything hadn't fallen apart yet but it seemed that their relationship was falling apart right here, in the castle's garden filled with Alkes Flowers and a water fountain, with a beautiful Alkes tree where the two would sit, all were now forgotten as the two argued.

  
Megatron rolled his optics at Starscream.  
"It's **_Megatron_** , And that **_Prime_** isn't Orion it's **_Optimus_**."  
Megatron pointed harshly at Starscream.  
"And this could've all been avoided if Optimus hadn't betrayed me!"

  
"What does it matter?! You're bringing _everyone_ - **Cybertron** - ** _EVERYTHING_** down with you! How is this alright?!"

  
"Of course this isn't alright! But how could you know what betrayal feels?! You were never starved, beaten and homeless your entire childhood, what would you know about this?!"

  
"YOU DON'T KNOW **_ANYTHING_** I WENT THROUGH!"

  
"NEITHER DO YOU!"

  
"WE CREATED THE **_DECEPTICONS_** AS A REBELLION AGAINST METALWING, NOT TO CREATE SOME... ** _IDIOTIC_** WAR!" 

" ** _THAT'S ENOUGH!_** "  
Megatron's voice echoed.  
Silence filled the garden, the only sound was the water fountain's rush of water.  
A gust of wind flew between them.  
"This war will carry on until the Prime is dead. Starscream, you're either with me or against me"  
Megatron turned and walked towards the open doorway to exit the garden, stopping to get Starscream's answer.

  
"...You know I'll always be with you, But..."  
Starscream stopped and walked up to Megatron, holding Megatron's larger servo and rubbing the back of it with a thumb.  
"Please..."  
Starscream looked up at Megatron, tears in his optics and voicebox cracking.  
"If you love me..."  
Starscream's grip tightened unintentionally.  
"End the war...End it all so you could **Stay** with my trine and cousin... **Stay** with me...We could be your family...Just... ** _Stay_** "  
Starscream leaned his forehelm against Megatron's back, swallowing down the lump in his vocalizer.  
Starscream looked up at Megatron, the warlord stayed put as the silence continued.

  
Until-

  
Megatron turned his helm to look back at Starscream, his optics dark and cold before removing his servo in one swift harsh movement before leaving Starscream standing in the garden.  
Starscream stared after Megatron, his optics wide in shock.  
 _' **If you love me, Stay'**_  
That was what Starscream had said,  
And Megatron left him standing there.  
After all those days together and finally confessing that they had loved each other...Now all gone to waste.  
Starscream felt a knot in his tanks, feeling sick and spark broken.  
Starscream bent down and hugged himself, choking back every sob and trying so hard to quiet himself.  
 _'He doesn't love you'_

  
_'He never did'_

* * *

"Eh?"

  
"I want you to resign from your position"  
Thundercracker repeated as if it didn't matter.

  
"But-But I worked so hard to get here!"  
Starscream took a step forward.  
"I sacrificed so many and deserved this position! Why do I have to resign?!"

"Don't you remember what Megatron did?"  
Thundercracker continued, his voice showing a bit of impatience.  
"He broke your spark, He started a war, He's using all these drones like weapons so he could kill Optimus Prime and claim it as his own victory!  
I BET HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER YOU FROM BEFORE!"  
Thundercracker slammed his servo on the metal tray next to him, the equipment jumped in the air and landed with a loud metal clank.  
Starscream staggered back, his little brother barely yelled or shouted when he was angry...And if he did, Than he wasn't angry...He was _furious_.

  
Thundercracker sighed and pinched the rear of his nose.  
"Megatron is a disgusting mech...Bloodthirsty for his own brother because of a little betrayal..."  
Thundercracker removed his digits from his faceplates and looked at Starscream.  
"I don't want you to be blinded by his unjustified genocide..."

  
Starscream glanced down at his pedes.  
Thundercracker was right about Megatron forgetting about him...Megatron doesn't remember them having a relationship, not even when he left Starscream in the garden...  
But what Thundercracker didn't know about was that Megatron abused Starscream...If he knew than Thundercracker would probably want them to flee from the Decepticons and run away forever...

  
It was either resign or run...

  
And Starscream knew that even if he ran away, he'd crawl back to Megatron.

  
Because Starscream still loves him...

  
"Fine..."  
Starscream muttered.  
"I'll resign from Second in Command..."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was before Steven Universe The Movie came out, when it did, I was very disappointed at myself for the fact that Starscream's backstory is way too close to Spinel's.


	14. Mission

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
"I can't believe you hadn't asked me sooner."  
Knockout muttered while fixing Starscream's battered shoulder blade.  
"It's been a while since the incident, why haven't you told me sooner?"

It had been a decacycle after SlipStream, Skywarp and Thundercracker were back online.  
It had been a problematic week but they managed to endure it.  
Skywarp became Lieutenant while Thundercracker was Second in Command of the Flight Command.  
SlipStream was Third in Command and Starscream was still Commander.

  
Though Starscream resigned from Second In Command from Megatron, Megatron had an argument with him that ended with Starscream slapping Megatron and Megatron asking him why he hadn't slapped him with full force...

  
And then they created another argument of Megatron yelling at Starscream to slap him with full force while Starscream yells back 'No'.

Starscream sighed and the rubbed the back of his vocalizer, awkwardly.  
"I guess...I didn't really have the time..."

Knockout sighed and continued to fix his shoulder blade, replacing a few wires and connecting some with the other.  
After a few moments Knockout had finished his shoulder blade with a heavy sigh.  
"Alright..."  
Knockout said, wiping his forehelm with the back of his forearm.  
"Your shoulder blade is completely patched up, I replaced some of the fried wires and polished it."

Knockout stared at his work, proud of it.

Starscream rolled his optics, a small curve at the corner of his mouth, a smile almost there.

"However"  
Knockout suddenly said, walking around the medical berth to stare at Starscream's injured wings.  
"I'm afraid that your wings will take longer...About..."  
Knockout leaned in and poked at the wing, watching it twitch only for a moment before staying motionless.  
Knockout frowned and stood straight again.  
"...2 months?"  
Knockout walked back in front of Starscream.

"Will you be okay without your wings for 2 months, Screamer?"

Starscream shrugged and stood up.  
"Sure, I mean I still have my thrusters."

Starscream was about to leave before Knockout laid a servo on Starscream's newly fixed shoulder blade.

"Starscream, about what happened in the wash racks..."

Starscream froze.

_'Slag'_

"Can we talk about it...?"

Starscream shrugged off Knockout's servo and turning to face him.  
"Knocks, I-"

  
The doors to the med-bay opened with a 'WHOOSH'.  
Starscream turned his helm to look at their uninvited guest.  
"Lord Megatron..."  
Starscream turned and bowed slightly.

  
Megatron stared at Starscream silently.  
"...Starscream"

  
The silence continued until Starscream decided to leave, breaking the awkward tension between the warlord and himself.  
Megatron stared after Starscream, narrowing his optics,  
Megatron turned back towards Knockout.  
"Was he alright?"

  
Knockout nodded.  
"His injuries weren't critical, though his wings will take longer to heal."

  
Megatron hummed.  
"Will he be stable enough to go on a mission?"

  
Knockout raised an optic ridge.

Didn't he just say that Starscream's injuries weren't critical? Like, At all?  
Knockouts mouth formed an 'O', realization hitting him like an underground mine train, ruining his finish.   
"I...see"  
Knockout muttered, looking to the side and smiling slightly.

  
Megatron raised an optic ridge, now being the confused one.  
"Excuse me?"

  
Knockout giggled to himself, honestly wondering if his theory was true.  
Not caring about his life value, he simply said,  
"You care about him"  
teasingly and obviously a joke.

  
Megatron flinched uncharacteristically and a blue hue of blush spread across his faceplates within nano-klicks.  
Knockout's jaw fell open, Completely shocked.  
"YOU **_DO_** CARE!"

  
Megatron sputtered and made some lame excuse of "I'll see the hallway in the control deck, I got to go down you!", swapping 'The Hallway' and 'You'. Megatron waddled away awkwardly and somehow made the med-bay doors slam closed.  
Knockout couldn't find anything to say other than,  
"SlipStream would **_love_** to hear this..."

* * *

  
Starscream stood at the Control deck with DreadWing, Knockout standing at the corner, Soundwave standing at the opposite side of Knockout while Megatron was standing in the middle of the room.  
"A few cycles ago, there was an Energon mine that was attacked. Several drones were severely injured,"

That line made Knockout sigh in frustration and throw his helm back dramatically.  
Megatron glared at him for a moment before continuing.  
"Soundwave had reported that there were multiple mechs in the mines that attacked the drones"

  
"Could it be the Autobots, My lord?"  
DreadWing spoke up, his voice deep and echoing.

"Let's hope so"  
Starscream muttered.

  
DreadWing turned his helm towards Starscream,  
"Are you suggesting that there are more mechs out there to be feared?"

  
Starscream rolled his optics and turned his helm to glare at DreadWing.  
" 'Feared'? I rather say 'Aware Of' and of course! There's M.E.C.H, Rogue Cybertronians, Old enemies, Elite Guards **_AND_** let's not forget about **_Arachnid_** , which by the way? Could've been avoided **_IF_** you extinguished her!"

  
DreadWing turned completely towards Starscream and took a step forward, his shadow looming over Starscream.  
"That wasn't **_MY_** mistake If you hadn't left the cause during all that, maybe you could've used your seekers to form an attack on her!"

  
"You don't know what happened at that time! _**YOU WEREN'T THERE**_!"

  
"Well, of course, I wasn't! Because at that time you were useful! What happened during all that?!"

  
" ** _MEGATRON HAPPENED_**!"

  
" **ENOUGH!** "  
Megatron yelled, making the two seekers freeze in their spots.  
"DreadWing, Control yourself!"

  
"My apologies, my liege..."  
DreadWing knelt down on one knee, facing Megatron and helm held low.

  
Starscream rolled his optics at the loyal mech.  
"Pathetic..."

  
"Starscream, Talking back towards your superior will cause consequences, Learn your place!"

  
Starscream narrowed his optics at Megatron.  
"You know very well that DreadWing was never my superior and never will..."

  
Megatron snarled his sharp dentas showing.  
"Don't talk back to me, Seeker"

  
Starscream huffed and crossed his servos.  
"You can't order me around, **_My lord_**. You can't order me to slap you harder either!"

  
Knockout, who didn't know anything about the argument Megatron and Starscream had a decacycle ago, so out of context it had sounded strange and quite inappropriate, he looked at Megatron and muttered.  
 _"You **what**...?"_

  
 ** _"I SAID NO SUCH THING!"_**  
Megatron said hurriedly,  
 ** _"AND DON'T LISTEN TO OUR CONVERSATION, MEDIC!"_**  
a small blush forming across his faceplates.

Knockout held up his servos defensively before walking off.

After Knockout left, Megatron huffed in frustration.  
"We are getting off-topic..."  
Megatron turned around and grabbed a data file lying on his throne.  
"DreadWing,"  
Megatron turned back towards them.  
"I want you to bring Knockout for emergency medical situations, What we are facing might be dangerous"

DreadWing nodded with a hum of agreement.

"Starscream,"

  
Starscream stared up at Megatron, still slightly irritated at DreadWing.

"I want you to bring four or more mechs with you and DreadWing. If you ever get separated, you were to have backup"

  
Starscream stared for a moment before nodding.  
"May I suggest bringing my trine and SlipStream?"

  
Megatron's scowl deepened, SlipStream's designation was seemingly unpleasant to him.  
"SlipStream is ignorant and naive, Nevertheless, I'll allow you to bring them with you in this mission."

  
"How about Soundwave? Can I bring him along?"

  
Megatron paused before answering with a defensive reluctant tone.  
"Why? Soundwave is irrelevant in this mission, why do you have to bring him along?"

  
" 'Why'? What do you mean _'why'??_ "  
Starscream asked, his helm tilted to the side in confusion.  
"Soundwave is important for this mission! He'll be useful for many reasons and scenarios!"

  
Megatron grunted but decided to not argue further, not before muttering quite loudly, " _Unlike you?_"

  
Megatron probably deserved the datapad Starscream threw at his faceplates.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would seem that past me doesn't know how to put the right amount of comedy and drama


	15. Flight Of Objective

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
_**.:: The mine is just ahead. ::.**_  
DreadWing said, his voice being heard through their comms,

Starscream scoffed.  
 _"We can see that, genius."_

  
 ** _.:: Starscream, ::._**  
Megatron growled,  
 _ **.:: Behave yourself. ::.**_

  
Starscream rolled his optics at Megatron.  
They were flying above the pine forest trees, it was mid-afternoon and a very visible cloud of smoke was coming from a cleared area of where trees and mountain rocks should've been.  
The jets landed with a thud on the freshly destroyed ground, blue fire was surrounded the area, a forest fire bound to happen.  
Skywarp and Thundercracker scanned the area, along with Soundwave and SlipStream while Megatron was processing the damage of the mines with DreadWing by his side like some sort of pet.  
Starscream decided it would be best to occupy himself before he threw a fist across DreadWing's faceplates for no sane reason.

  
Starscream stepped closer towards the wrecked entrance of the mines.  
Smoke and dust being seen through the hot sun rays of Jasper Nevada.  
Taking a few steps into the mines, Starscream could smell the remains of an explosion, the smoky and suffocating oxygen filling his intakes.  
Sticks and a few leaves were scattered around in the cave, the blast of the explosion impacting the useless and weak organic dying life into the cave.  
Starscream looked at the cave's dirty and earthy walls, threatening scratches in a beeline were decorating them as if something grabbed someone and pulled them across the wall instead of the floor.  
Starscream hovered his digits on the scratched, finding it to be new.

  
As soon as Starscream realized that they weren't alone, he heard a snap.  
Starscream started his null rays, starting them with a threatening glow, and pointed them towards whoever trespassed.  
The bot in front of him dropped their jaw in shock at who was in front of them, their blasters were on and glowing, Starscream's jaw dropped as well.

  
Why were they here?!

  
Without anything else to do,  
The two bots said at the same time,  
 **"YOU?!"**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter because past me was as lazy as ever.


	16. Engage

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
**"YOU?!"**  
They both shouted at the same time.

  
Starscream lowered his null rays and pinched the rear of his-nonexistent-nose.  
"Of course!"  
Starscream muttered, frustrated.  
"Whenever I think _something_ or _someone_ **new** causes this. _You_ , _Autobot scum_ , have to prove me wrong!"

  
Arcee rolled her optics at Starscream,  
"It wasn't _us_ who blew up your cave"

  
"Oh! So, you just happen to be here at the exact time and place?"  
Starscream crossed his servos before pausing, realizing what Arcee had just said.  
" _Us_?"

  
Somehow, SmokeScreen walked out from behind Arcee.  
"Hey! Remember me, Screamer?"

  
Starscream scowled,  
Of course!  
There's more than one!  
There's **_always_** more than one!

  
"Enough of this!"  
Starscream raised his null rays once again and shot at the two Autobots.  
Arcee dodged the shots, narrowly while SmokeScreen ran towards Starscream, using the phase-shifter.  
Starscream jumped out of the way before SmokeScreen could lunge at him.  
The fight was slowly brought out of the cave, with Starscream dodging both of the Autobots.  
His wings were still useless, though his thrusters were still functioning well, that's how he flew here anyways—

  
_His thrusters._

  
Starscream lifted his pede and roundhouse kicked the side of SmokeScreen's helm.  
As predicted, SmokeScreen hurriedly deactivated the phase-shifter and grabbed Starscream's pede before it could hit him, holding it away from his helm.  
Starscream ignited his thruster, the blast burning SmokeScreen's servo and half of his faceplates.  
SmokeScreen winced in pain and his grip loosened, Starscream took this opportunity to _actually_ roundhouse kick SmokeScreen away.  
SmokeScreen was knocked to the side, crashing into an already broken tree.  
Arcee charged for Starscream until something knocked her to the side.  
Starscream stared at SlipStream tackling down Arcee, scratching each other's paint and gathering dust clouds around them with grunts, surprised.

  
SlipStream managed to pin Arcee on her front, her servos held behind her, the Seeker let out a few pants and said playfully,

"Gotcha' !"

  
Arcee struggled against SlipStream, muttering a few colorful cuss words at the Seeker.  
SlipStream merely chuckled at her attempts of escape while Skywarp and Thundercracker appeared next to SmokeScreen, they grabbed him by the shoulder blades and dragged him next to Starscream.

  
 _'Interesting'_  
Megatron thought to himself, watching all the seekers follow Starscream like Insecticons drawn to a light source.

  
The Seekers managed to hold both Autobots, back to back and tying them both up ~~(not before knocking both of their helms together and ** _then_** tying them)~~.  
Megatron stepped closer towards the Autobots, giving a pat on Starscream's shoulder blade as if to say 'good job'. The Seeker barely cast him a glance.  
"Destroying one of our Resources, Very clever of you"  
Megatron loomed over the two, his shadow consuming them.

  
Arcee's optics narrowed, it was clear she wasn't going to speak anytime soon.

  
As for SmokeScreen—

  
"Hey, We didn't blow those mines, Bucket Head!"

  
—Never mind.

  
"It was some-some..."  
SmokeScreen looked towards Arcee for help,  
 _"What is she again...?"_  
He muttered.

  
Arcee closed her optics and leaned her helm against SmokeScreen's, she shook her helm, tired of this scrap.  
 _"A She-Spider—"_

  
 ** _"—SOME SHE-SPIDER!"_**  
SmokeScreen yelled, making Arcee wince at the sudden volume.  
"A She-Spider named-"

  
"Arachnid..."  
Someone breathed from behind Starscream.  
Starscream whipped his helm back to see Knockout, he looked somewhere between shocked and furious.

  
~~Fast and Furious.~~

  
Starscream blinked, he hadn't seen Knockout coming here. Hadn't even noticed the ground-bridge opening and revealing him.

  
~~After all this mess, Knockout might as well be part of the Stalker Crew.~~   
~~Hosted by Megatron and Soundwave.~~

  
Starscream looked back at Arcee and SmokeScreen.  
"What were you here for?"

  
This time, Arcee was the one to speak.  
"There was a landfall alert coming from the woods, we tried sorting out whether the Cybertronians that used the ship were still around. We stumbled across the mines at the exact time an explosion erupted. But turns out we didn't need to find those Cybertronians..."  
Arcee looked up at SlipStream with narrowed optics, who in return winked at Arcee with a cocky grin.

  
Thundercracker elbowed SlipStream at the side and whispered into her audial about something along the lines of,  
 _"—better control your unstable sexuality or—"_

  
SlipStream huffed and pouted before planting her servos on either side of her hips while Thundercracker rolled his optics at her attitude, Skywarp snickered at both of them.  
Starscream on the other hand, felt ultimately out of place with his younger family members and decided to further interrogate the two Autobots.  
Starscream knelt down in front of the two.  
"How did the explosion erupt?"

  
SmokeScreen opened his mouth and could of said stupidly, 'With a large bang' before Arcee spoke over him.  
"The Lab, She took something from it that's caused it to self destruct"

  
Starscream paused, looking over his shoulder to glare at Megatron who is in fact _not_ paying attention.  
Starscream straightened himself and walked towards Megatron with two powerful strides.  
 _"Why didn't you inform us that this mine is where Shockwave is working on his Predacon Project?!"_  
Starscream spat through gritted dentas.

  
_"You and DreadWing's little argument threw us off schedule! How was I supposed to make a short meeting with you two yelling at each others' faceplates?!"_

  
"I'm sorry for my inconvenience, My Lord—"  
DreadWing said, still standing next to Megatron yet no one took notice until now.

  
Starscream still ignored his presence and continued to argue with said 'Lord'.  
 _"That has no excuse to why you hadn't told us in the first place!"_

  
_"Does it matter now?!"_

  
_"Yes! How do you think Shockwave would feel about this?! He'll surely lecture one of us—Me, of course—That not 'saving' his work and not mentioning it during a short meeting that he wasn't apart of when it's clearly about him, would be 'illogical'!"_

  
Megatron snapped his helm towards the sky and heaved a frustrated sigh before he looked down at the Seeker again.  
"...Do whatever you must, Air Commander.."

  
Starscream nodded and walked back towards the two Autobots.  
He knelt down in front of them and pinched the rear of his nose, trying to force back a helmache.  
"Autobots...?"  
He started, removing his digits to look at them both in the optics.  
"How about a temporary truce?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so I ignore the fact that I still have writer's block


	17. Your Choice

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
"How about a temporary truce?"

  
Arcee narrowed her optic ridges at him.  
"Why?"  
She started,  
"Arachnid has nothing we want and we need nothing from Arachnid, why should we help you?"

  
Although Starscream's focus was on Arcee, Starscream heard Smokescreen saying _"This fragging hurts"_ , trying to scratch his burnt faceplates with his shoulder blades since he was still tied.  
At the corner of Starscream's optics, he saw Megatron glaring at Starscream's, his glare filled with shock and rage.  
The frag does _he_ need to be mad about?  
 _He_ didn't tell Starscream about Shockwave's lab, It's _his_ fault it went down to _this_.  
"Arachnid killed one of your own fraction, is that true?"  
Starscream asked.

  
Arcee kept silent,   
The rising tension broke when Smokescreen said again _"This **really** fragging hurts"_.

"If you help us find her, We take back what is ours and you take your prisoner."  
Starscream stated, ignoring SmokeScreen's pained complaints.  
"We all know your fraction doesn't take revenge by maiming, so I'm sure you'll take her as your prisoner."

  
"Why should I?! She may have killed TailGate but You killed CliffJumper! What makes _you_ so different than her?!"  
Arcee snapped and she jerked forward to get closer to Starscream,  
Earning Smokescreen a yelp as he was tugged backwards.

  
"Nothing"  
Starscream said, standing back up.  
"That's why I'm allowing you to extinguish my spark after all this"

  
Arcee's anger slipped away, she stared up at the seeker in shock.  
"What...?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter again, looks like past me was too lazy to write a whole chapter. 
> 
> Too bad, I don't care.


	18. Enemies And Companions

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

  
"What...?"

  
Starscream huffed,  
 _"I said-"_

  
SlipStream grabbed Starscream's shoulder blades and pushed him away,  
 ** _"He said!"_**  
She said in a panicked voice but trying not to sound like it.  
"That he'll need a few moments with his trine and maybe with the medic!"  
The last part was hissed, venomously at Starscream.

  
_"There's nothing wrong-"_

  
**_"HA! YOU'RE SO OUT OF IT TODAY, STAR!HA"_**  
SlipStream interrupted Starscream by laughing loud and obnoxiously while trying to shove him away from the two Autobots.  
She pushed him away from the rest of the team, shaking his shoulder blades as if he said something insane, which wasn't one hundred percent wrong...  
 _"What in the pit is wrong with you?!"_  
She growled, baring her sharp denta at him.

  
Starscream shrugged,  
"Many things?"  
He looked back at the others.  
"You haven't been with me all this time to see what has changed"

  
"That's no excuse-!"

  
 _" **'No excuse'** my aft!"_  
Starscream cut her off.  
 _"You have **no** idea what I've been through! I had to suffer alone and I still do! **You** might have lost your sigma abilities but that's **nothing** compared to what burden **I** had to carry for so long!"_

  
SlipStream stared at him for a moment, reaching out her servo to him.  
"Star..."  
Before she could even lay a servo on his shoulder blades, Starscream slapped it off.

  
"I don't need this right now..."  
He muttered as he walked back to the two Autobots.  
"So, Do we have a truce?"

  
Arcee stared at Starscream for a moment, observing his facial expression in case he was plotting something but she had found nothing, with a heavy sigh she nodded.  
"Fine...But only to find Arachnid...After this, we're enemies"

  
Starscream gave a satisfied nod.  
"Enemies and companions"

  
Thundercracker and Skywarp appeared next to them, kneeling down to untie the ropes.  
Smokescreen stared at the two Seeker before looking back at Starscream.  
"Did you always have different colored clones??"

  
Primus, this will be a long cycle.

* * *

  
They had to travel by taking flight for safety.

  
That meant, Thundercracker and SlipStream had to use their alt-modes to fly, using their thrusters.

  
That meant, Thundercracker and SlipStream had to carry Smokescreen and Arcee in the sky.

  
Skywarp was flying in his alt-mode too even though he didn't need to, he said; "Just in case you drop them!"

  
If they didn't have this truce, they would've dropped the two 'Bots and killed them easily.  
But they didn't, given Starscream's orders.

  
The one Thundercracker was carrying, by the forearms and letting him dangle dangerously, was Smokescreen.   
SlipStream was carrying Arcee bridal style, the two exchanged designations in the middle of the flight and so did Thundercracker and Smokescreen, they both exchanged designations and hadn't spoken for a moment after.

  
Just for a moment.

  
Thundercracker's optic twitched in frustration as Smokescreen rambled on with whatever Scrap he was so interested in talking about.  
If it were Skywarp, maybe Smokescreen would've had a better conversation partner but Primus had to pick him!  
Blah blah...This!...Blah blah...That!...Blah blah...Whatever you call that circle thing, I shoved it up that kid's tailpipe!  
Primus, it was becoming more and more tempting to just drop him and end him right now.

  
"So, That femme Seeker over there...Who is she?"  
Smokescreen suddenly said, catching Thundercracker's attention.

  
"Oh, well..."  
The blue and black Seeker said.  
"She's our cousin, we lived together back in Vos when Cybertron was still functioning"  
Thundercracker looked back at SlipStream, flying while teasing Arcee as the motorcycle looked like she wanted to jump off of SlipStream's arms and die right there.

  
Smokescreen looked at Thundercracker.  
"You all have that royal diamond..."  
He said, examining the sharp blue diamond on the Seeker's helm.  
"Does that mean you're from the royal family?"

  
"...Yes, that is correct"

  
"Than, why haven't I heard of any of you when Cybertron still functioned?"

  
Thundercracker paused,  
"...It's a long story..."  
He said eventually.  
"We all were in the royal castle, yes but...Everything just went down in shambles...So much that our trine had to split up in the middle of the war...We had blocked Starscream through our bond so that he wouldn't get hurt...SlipStream was the only one that was alone...No bond, No trine...We gave her love but it wasn't enough..."

  
There was a dreaded silence, no sound was heard except the loud whistles of the wind and the fire blasts of thrusters.

  
"I...I'm sorry to hear that..."  
Smokescreen muttered, so quietly that Thundercracker almost didn't hear it.

  
"It's quite alright..."

  
There was another silence before Smokescreen spoke again.  
"...So...She doesn't have a trine?"

  
Thundercracker chuckled.  
"Why? You want to bond with her or something?"  
He asked, jokingly.

  
"I mean,"  
Smokescreen murmured.  
"She _**is**_ pretty hot..."

  
Smokescreen stared at him.

  
Thundercracker stared back and dropped him intentionally.  
Smokescreen was lucky that Skywarp was fast enough to catch him.

* * *

  
They had landed in the middle of the woods, it was dark by then and a trail of glowing blue Energon was lighting up their way.  
The Seekers and Knockout stayed behind Megatron while the Autobots were held in front of the Seekers.

  
They slowly made their way through the forest, branches and dead leaves crunching underneath their pedes.

  
Soundwave had spotted something and pointed it out, all of the mechs and femme looked up to see what it was.  
A dead Predacon, it looked like it was halfway through forming it's frame, was dragged out of its chamber and killed. It's teeth and claws were barely even sharp and one of it's horns was snapped off.  
Knockout dropped to his knee joints and touched it, he looked back at Megatron and shook his helm, confirming the kill.

  
Starscream looked around and spotted something. Somewhere at the trees was a shadowy figure, Arachnid, no doubt, She jumped off into the shadows when she realized that she was seen.  
Starscream looked back at Soundwave, who had seen her too, and they both nodded in agreement. Starscream then looked back at Knockout, Arcee and his Seekers, and nodded towards the direction Arachnid was seen.  
They stalked off, Soundwave was left holding Smokescreen, without Megatron knowing.  
They were going to end that She-Spider.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is where I stopped...Probably will continue this after adding another chapter to Memories Of The Past And Only Then


	19. Spider Bite

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

The Seekers followed the spider like form crawling it's way through the tree tops in the forest silently.

Starscream watched, his wings twitching in nervousness, if this went as planned, Arachnid would be captured...or better yet, Killed...But if this failed...Well...

Starscream didn't want to lose another Decepticon Comrade.

They watched Arachnid's form leap onto tree after tree, they knew they were possibly getting lured into a trap, but if Soundwave was quick enough, he'd come to their rescue.

Arachnid stopped at a nearby cave, through a few analysts and familiarity, it was an Energon Mine.

Arachnid suddenly disappeared from their sights, Starscream looked around than slowly approached the cave.

He stepped toward the cave and looked around, Arachnid was nowhere to be seen. He slowly turned around to address the rest of the team that Arachnid was nowhere to be seen, only to bump into the She-Spider face to face.

"Hello Starscream"

Arachnid said, her voice sultry and sly.

"Arachnid"

Starscream greeted, taking a step back and on-lining his null rays.

Arachnid heaved a sigh.

"I see I'm not welcomed"

She stalked around Starscream like a beast eyeing its prey.

"You're in good shape"

She twirled around and roughly grabbed Starscream's chin with her sharp claws.

"Perhaps Megatron finally took pity on your pathetic frame"

Starscream snarled and pushed her away.

"It doesn't matter what Megatron decides, I'm here to finally finish this"

Arachnid raised an optic ridge,

" 'Finish this'?"

She repeated than let out a chuckle.

"I like to see you try..."

She took a fighting stance, her spider like legs spreading and curling in a threatening way.

Starscream glared at her as he took a fighting stance himself. They glared at each other for a moment before Starscream opened his Comm link and shouted.

**_"NOW"_ **

"What-?!"

Arachnid stumbled back as Arcee appeared through a flash of purple light, she used her spider limbs to block a punch Arcee threw at her.

Arachnid stood back and smirked.

"Arcee!"

She purred.

"I wouldn't think that you would team up with a Decepticon...least of all Starscream!"

Starscream grimaced, Arcee glared at Arachnid.

"And this is all just to kill me? I'm flattered"

She chuckled mockingly before her spider legs shot forward and grabbed Arcee.

"Alright than! If you want a fight, It's a fight you'll get!"

She wrapped a servo around Arcee's vocaliser and attacked Starscream with her spider limbs.

Starscream dodged but wasn't fast enough to dodge the spider limb that had pierced through his left pede. Starscream fell to his knee joint and let out a groan of pain, Arachnid took this to her advantage and stalked towards Starscream. She chuckled darkly before swiftly raising a sharp spider leg and ramming it down into Starscream. Arcee managed to activate her blaster and shot at the spider leg before it stabbed Starscream. Arachnid let out a surprised pained shout before tossing Arcee away. Arcee hit the wall with a pained groan before collapsing onto the ground, she slowly stood back up and shot at Arachnid again when she tried to terminate Starscream.

Arachnid dodged the attack and glared at Arcee with a smirk.

"You just don't know when to quit do you?"

Arachnid bared her dentas and charged for her.

"That's fine...I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT EITHER!"

She roared and fought with the two wheeled femme.

Starscream got onto his servos and looked at the two femmes attacking each other, he lifted a servo to his comm as Arcee's helm hit against the cave wall with a horrifying 'THUD', she fell unconscious onto the ground with small leaking Energon wounds.

_"Arcee is down, We need back up"_

He spoke quietly through the comm before he felt a pede stomp onto his servo and crushing the comm link, he let out a pained shout before spider limbs pinned his wings to the wall.

"Calling for back up, little Seeker~?"

Arachnid cooed, placing a clawed digit under his chin before digging it deep until it dug into his protomesh and dragged it down to his neck.

"Nobody is going to save you~ After all you **_are_ **just a traitor"

Starscream let out a pained groan as he felt Energon leaking out of him after Arachnid removed her digit from him.

Arachnid let out a pleased chuckle.

"You know, knowing Megatron, he must've had such a fun time beating you until you were an inch away from deactivation"

Starscream froze as Arachind leant down and whispered into his audio receptor.

"How does it feel to be a complete and utter failure~?"

Starscream dug his claws into the dirt and closed them into fists, that was the action he could only manage including the heavy breathing causing his chassis to raise and fall at a rapid speed.

Arachnid took great pleasure from this and leant back to take a good look at the trembling Seeker.

"Ah~This must've been what Megatron felt when he managed to make you tremble"

She chuckled again and grabbed his chin roughly.

"So much fear~! It's exciting, isn't it?"

Starscream grit his dentas together to try and stop his lower lip plates from trembling so pathetically.

He _was_ pathetic, that was true, this was proof...!

But...Megatron...

He hurt Starscream so badly...

Through emotions...physical contact...Simple glances, _expressions_ , **_touches_**! made Starscream **_tremble_** from helm to pede! He felt as if he has the need to plead every second to breathe...

To _live_...

To **_love_**...

Arachnid sighed and let go of him.

"Not like you would know...You will never know what _**true**_ power is~"

She purred as she flashed her claws dangerously.

He...never experienced love properly...did he?

His carrier died too soon...His sire had beaten him for so long...His twin despised him with all his being...His brothers and Trine mates didn't know anything he was going through...SlipStream was just desperate for someone to care for her...Skyfire died the day he confessed...Soundwave couldn't love him back for so many reasons...and Megatron simply never cared for him...

"I'll just help Megatron end your sad miserable life~"

Arachnid stretched out her spider limbs and pointed their sharp ends at Starscream.

He never and always will...learn how to love...

"Goodbye, Starscream~"

Arachnid dove in and lashed out.

That was until she felt someone blast her from behind.

Arachnid stumbled and held her slightly wounded but burnt back, she growled and looked toward whoever blasted her.

"Hey Chick!"

SlipStream shouted, holding Arcee's unconscious form in her servos.

"Fellow Femmes are all supposed to be kissing, not hurting each other"

Knockout let his smoking blaster fall back to his side as he glared at Arachnid, standing beside SlipStream.

"So how about we kiss,"

SlipStream pulled Arcee close to her chassis and lifted up a blaster of her own at Arachnid.

"And make up?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be patient, next chapter is still a work in progress


	20. What It Takes

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

They all stood in silence, except Starscream, who was still on the ground, Tensions were high and weapons were pointed. Finally, Arachnid spoke.

"...And..."

Arachnid tilted her helm and extended a servo.

"You are...?"

SlipStream smirked.

"SlipStream. I would say 'it's a bittersweet pleasure to meet you', "

She then nodded toward Starscream.

"But you **_did_** just harm my cousin and my temporary ally"

" 'Cousin'?"

Arachnid glanced at Starscream and smirked.

"And to think that you were the last Seeker left"

Starscream growled and clenched his servos into the dirt underneath him.

"Enough, Arachnid"

Knockout spoke, getting his saw out and glaring at Arachnid.

"I never liked you from the moment you set pede on our ship, the way you walked, the way you talked..."

Knockout grit his denta as he continued, his helm slowly lowering as he spoke.

"...how you hovered around _him_ like he was weak...I...despised it...I despise you..."

He covered half his face with his other servo as emotions started to hit him like the ocean, wave after wave crashing upon his weak, sparkbroken frame.

"And...The day I found out about...What you **_did_**..."

He spat out, his entire frame shaking as he suddenly shot his helm up and roared.

" ** _I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU DID_** "

Knockout charged at her, activating his saw and slashing at Arachnid no matter how hard it was through his tears.

Arachnid dodged his every move, trying to attack back when it only failed and got one of her spider legs cut, the sharp tip flying off and falling onto the ground with a gruesome splat of Energon afterwards.

She screeched in pain and stumbled back, after staring at the wound she glared at Knockout before running off deeper into the cave.

Knockout growled, he started chasing after Arachnid when Starscream suddenly shouted.

"KNOCKOUT, NO! _ANGER IS WHAT CAUSED BREAKDOWN TO DIE!_ "

Knockout stopped.

He then turned his helm back to glare at Starscream.

" ** _What?_** "

He turned to fully face Starscream as his voice dropped with venom, his glare piercing through Starscream's endoskeleton.

Starscream sighed,

"Breakdown...Died chasing after Arachnid by himself in an act of anger...If you choose to chase her down alone...You're just repeating the cycle..."

he slowly stood but failed as his knee joint buckled underneath him and he fell to the ground in pain.

SlipStream jumped.

"S-Star!"

She ran toward his side, she put Arcee down gently beside him and did her best to nurse his wound.

"He's losing quite a bit of Energon, not as much as hot wheels over here..."

She murmured, she looked up at Knockout when she didn't hear him move or say anything.

"Knocks?"

Knockout visibly flinched and looked at SlipStream.

"Knocks, I don't know much about this teammate or pal or partner you had but...I _do_ know you want to avenge him...and that I understand."

She smiled slightly.

"But if you want to take Arachnid down, please, please just do it with us"

Knockout stared before lowering his helm.

"You...You don't get it..."

He murmured, so quietly it was almost as if he didn't say anything at all.

"She took him from me..."

"She took someone from me too"

Nobody had noticed when Arcee was conscious again, but the only people who had shot their helm towards her in surprise were SlipStream and Starscream.

"He was a good partner, Tailgate...My Second partner Cliffjumper was great too...I still miss them both so much...they were both killed..."

Starscream glanced at her for a moment but didn't say anything.

"But that doesn't mean...I'll be alone...I already found someone to fight side by side with, even when he isn't with me during all my missions most of the time...I've yet to lose him...and I'm never going to lose him..."

She looked up at Knockout.

"Knockout, Partners can be held deep within our sparks but after mourning our loses, it's time we move on...They want us to be happy and to fight. Not to be dragged down with sorrow and grief...Breakdown...Your friend—"

" _NO!_ "

They all flinched at the sudden volume in Knockout's voice. But what made Starscream flinch, was the barley noticeable crack in it.

"NO, _NONE_ OF YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Knockout screamed, shaking his helm violently as he took several steps back.

"ARACHNID IS GETTING AWAY AND ALL YOU MECHS ARE DOING IS LETTING HER _ESCAPE_?! SHE. TOOK. **_EVERYTHING_**! SHE TOOK MY LIGHT–MY _FUTURE_ – ** _MY BREAKY!_** "

Knockout shook and screamed louder, Starscream watched him and tried to stand.

"Kn-Knockout, wait, what are you talking about—"

Starscream asked but Knockout turned and ran in the direction Arachnid ran off to.

"KNOCKOUT!"

Starscream stood again but fell back down immediately, he cursed and looked back at SlipStream.

"Follow-"

Before he could continue, Arcee jumped onto her pedes and bolted after him.

"ARCEE, NO!"

Starscream shouted but she left, he growled and looked at SlipStream.

"Follow them and don't get hurt, I'll figure out a new plan, now go!"

SlipStream nodded and ran after the Knockout and Arcee.

Starscream stayed where he was and stared at his wounded pede. He growled and shot at the cave floor with his blaster until the plasma rim was smoking hot, he then took a deep intake and pressed it to his wound.

He screamed in pain but held it there, he had to follow them, even if this poor excuse of a welding tore.

He let his blaster transform back as the burnt mark cooled, He took a few more moments to catch his intake before getting up and running after the others.

———————————

Megatron prodded with the dead predacon, there wasn't any sign or clue as to where Arachnid went off to, and the deal Starscream made with those Autobots...it was...worrisome. He stood.

"Soundwave,"

The silent mech looked over at Megatron, Smokescreen following DreadWing around.

"Make sure to keep a close optic on Starscream and his seekers, I fear he might do something utterly idiotic..."

Soundwave stared, then nodded.

The hesitation was...more worrisome.

Megatron narrowed his optics.

"Soundwave...Is there something you aren't telling me?"

Soundwave shook his helm and looked away.

"Soundwave, there's something you aren't telling me and it's worrying me, spill it out"

Megatron said more sternly.

Soundwave looked as if he heaved a sigh before looking back at Megatron.

" **Starscream: is—** "

"My liege,"

Dreadwing interrupted, Megatron growled and was about to tell Dreadwing to wait before the next line caught him off guard.

"Starscream and his seekers are missing, along with Knockout and the two Autobots"

Megatron stared in shock.

What?

But—

Megatron growled as realisation dawned on him.

"They couldn't have gone far, search for them"

"Sir"

Dreadwing bowed and transformed, flying into the sky to find them more quickly.

Soundwave and Megatron stood in silence.

_"...You knew, didn't you...?"_

Megatron mumbled.

Smokescreen kept his mouth shut and wisely stepped back warily, Soundwave stared in silence which angered Megatron.

"YOU KNEW AND YOU LET THEM GO?!"

Megatron shouted, turning and looming over Soundwave. For the first time.

There was a following silence before Soundwave looked up at him and simply showed the smiling emoticon, it flashed brightly and stayed on his visor.

Megatron glared at it with burning rage before he reeled it all back in and pinched the space between his optics to force back a helmache.

"I'm starting to question...your loyalty to me Soundwave..."

He mumbled quietly.

"You...used to be my friend...used to serve only me when the war broke out...What...made you _worship_ Starscream?"

He spat the word 'worship' as he spoke it.

Soundwave stared at Megatron before using audio clips.

" **What made you-want-Starscream?** "

Megatron's voice recordings were a bit distorted but the question itself made Megatron pause.

"Starscream...was an Energon Seeker, he could seek Energon and not only that he's a brilliant mech, That's why I wanted him as my second"

Soundwave flashed the emoticon brighter and put together more audio clips.

" **What made you-want-his- _sparks_** "

The audio contained not only Megatron's audio recordings but Starscream's. It wasn't very perfect but it still worked.

"I...What?"

Megatron said, taking a step back in confusion and shock.

"Since when have I ever wanted his spark? I've wanted to extinguish it, yes, but—"

Soundwave followed close until he was almost chassis to chassis with him. The emoticon flashing brighter than ever.

" **You-and-Starscream-were-' _tiresome_ '-and-' _predictable_ '** "

He tilted his helm to the side slightly as if mocking him, the next line wasn't cropped or edited, it was...perfect as it was.

" **What happened there was in the past, forget about it** "

Megatron stared, This was...he was...

Soundwave stepped away from him before transforming and following after DreadWing.

Megatron stood there as he tried to figure out what had happened.

Soundwave has just told him to forget what he and Starscream used to have, but what did they even have at all? All they did was bicker and hurt each other. But 'in the past'...? What did he...?

Megatron stopped.

He finally remembered the day he left the garden.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You...  
> DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAD TO REREAD MY OWN BOOK TO GET SOUNDWAVE'S DIALOGUE RIGHT!!
> 
> IT WASN'T THAT HARD BUT GOD DAMN!
> 
> Anyways I hope y'all liked this chapter, if you didn't then good, I'm gonna make you hate the next one even more.
> 
> Spoiler Alert!  
> Everyone dies!  
> The End!
> 
> Tune in next time for the next chapter!


	21. Spider Web

**{A List Of Victims}**

* * *

It was quiet in the forest. So eerily so, were it anyone else, they would’ve taken notice to the sudden change of atmosphere.

“ _ TC! I’m bored! _ ”

Skywarp was not that person.

“Can we play a game or something? Or talk or…anything???”

Skywarp whined, kicking his pedes into the air as he laid back on a fallen tree.

Thundercracker paid little attention to him, focusing on their surroundings and the weird feeling he had, like something was going to go horrendously wrong.

He checked his comms, they’ve yet to be called for backup. He looked around again, feeling uneasy, what if something bad happened? What if something bad happened already and they didn’t know? No, Thundercracker thought. Knockout was a medic, he would save them. At least, he hoped so.

Thundercracker sighed and looked up at the sky.

“…What type of game do you want us to play?”

Skywarp thought for a moment.

“How about…”

He murmured.

“One of us look at something, and the other has to guess what we’re looking at.”

“Isn’t that a human game?”

Skywarp looked to the side.

“Maybe”

He mumbled.

Thundercracker rolled his optics and sighed.

“Alright, you go first”

Skywarp smiled and looked around.

“I spy with my little eye—“

“  ‘ _eye_ ’? ‘Optic’, Skywarp, we aren’t organic”

“Well, it rhymes, okay?” 

Thundercracker held up his servos in defence and nodded.

“Okay okay…”

He waved his servo.

“Continue”

Skywarp looked around again.

“I spy with my little… _EYE_ … ”

Thundercracker rolled his optics but smiled.

“Something…Purple!”

Thundercracker blinked.

“You?”

“What? No! It’s the night sky!”

“How? I can’t even tell if it’s blue or purple, it’s too dark”

Thundercracker lifted a servo and gestured to the sky.

“Well it’s obviously purple!”

Skywarp huffed stubbornly.

“Alright fine, I lost”

Thundercracker said, knowing Skywarp was just gonna be stubborn.

“Now it’s my turn”

He glanced around, he could’ve sworn he heard something, he kept looking as he said the words.

“I spy with my little… _ eye _ ”

He heard it growing closer, he looked toward the sky again.

Than he saw him, he stood up in a hurry.

” _ DreadWing _ _!_ ”

Skywarp blinked and followed his gaze.

“ _ Scrap! _ ”

He stood as well and was about to activate his warp drive when suddenly a massive  **_THUD_** announced that DreadWing wasn’t the only mech who found them.

They both looked behind them, Megatron loomed over them with his burning red optics. Not too far behind, Soundwave arrived with Smokescreen still in stasis cuffs.

Megatron glared and took a warning step toward them.

“ _ Where _ ”

He grumbled darkly.

“ _ Is he? _ ”

Skywarp stumbled back in fear at the tone of his voice, Thundercracker stood his ground but was unable to hide his anxiousness for his family. The plan was botched. But most importantly, Starscream was gonna be in so much trouble.

…

But Megatron didn’t have any right to do anything to him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know”

Thundercracker scoffed, surprising Skywarp and making him mouth ‘TC’ as if to make him stop before anything else happened.

But he wasn’t going to back down.

Megatron hurt Starscream, hurt him to the point that Starscream was in denial. A denial that stayed for so long it was sparkbreaking. 

And to think he thought of Megatron as his brother.

Megatron took another step toward him.

“I don’t have time for  _ sass_, Thundercracker…”

He warned.

“Tell me where is your incompetent trine leader, and I might not tear off his wings”

Thundercracker’s optics widened in shock, than rage.

“Excuse me? ‘ _ Tear off his wings _ ’?”

He laughed bitterly.

“What makes you think you have  _any_ right to touch him?!”

Megatron growled.

“I’m his leader, and if you don’t have a single  _cog_ in that processor of yours, I’m your leader as well. I can do what I want with him, and I can do what I want with you”

Thundercracker narrowed his optics at him.

“And what does that mean, huh? You’ll just play with him all you want? Toy with him like he’s a plaything until you get bored or you break him? Is throwing him around what you call fun, my ‘ _ LEADER _ ’?”

He spat out, he can’t believe he ever thought of this mech as his brother. 

“He causes himself to be thrown around”

Megatron leaned down and hissed at him.

“And yes, I do soak in his failures with great amusement, his attempts of betrayal is unforgivable…”

He stood tall and walked pass Thundercracker.

“My Second deserves to be punished.”

There was a laugh that caused Megatron to stop, he glared over his spiked shoulder blades at Thundercracker. The blue Seeker glared back with a small smirk that was almost identical to Starscream’s, if his faceplates were less masculine, he would’ve looked like Starscream.

“He isn’t your second anymore, Megatron, DreadWing is”

Megatron’s glare disappeared as he realised the word had slipped through his glossa.

“I say that you don’t have a right to touch Starscream not because he doesn’t deserve to be touched, but because you don’t deserve to touch him.”

Thundercracker continued.

“You control Starscream with all the brute strength you wield but that’s it. All you have is strength. But be honest…”

He stepped up to him.

“You’re nothing. You’re just a gladiator who sought for power. You thought that taking the most powerful cities down would make you stand tall as well. You thought that taking down the trees would end the birds who lived inside. But even after Vos is gone…we…still outrank you.”

Thundercracker smiled.

“And that’s what you’re afraid of, aren’t you?”

No body said anything. DreadWing was processing the information, Soundwave was staring at Megatron with a look that Thundercracker couldn’t describe.

Smokescreen was a bit too shocked to say anything, and Skywarp was nervously looking between his brother and his leader.

Megatron stared down at him, it started with a low growl before he roared in anger.

Skywarp pulled Thundercracker back behind him out of reflex.

“WHY IS IT SO HARD TO KEEP YOU ALL IN LINE?!”

He shouted.

“WHAT MADE YOU TAKE **_STARSCREAM’S_** SIDE?! WHAT MADE YOU  **_WANT_** HIM?!”

Thundercracker stared, Starscream was his brother, of course he would want him, What was he talking about?

“ ** _NONE_** OF YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW  _ HIM_, YOU’RE ALL SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW  _ ME_.  **_I_** AM WHAT MAKES YOU, STARSCREAM IS  **MINE** AND  **MINE** ALONE, NONE OF YOU CAN  **FOLLOW** HIM, NONE OF YOU CAN  **TOUCH** HIM, ONLY  **_I_** CAN DO THESE THINGS, HE BELONGS TO  **_ ME_**.”

“… _Does_ _ he though? _ ”

Megatron stopped and looked at Smokescreen.

Smokescreen held up his servos.

“S-Sorry, I was talking out of my aft, I—“

“ **… _Does_** _** he though? ** _ ”

Megatron’s gaze snapped toward Soundwave, who repeated what Smokescreen had said.

“ ** He’s–betrayed–you, left–you, been–rouge–tried to–defect–and–hates–you ** ”

Soundwave cocked his helm to the side, a smiling emoticon appearing.

“ ** What makes you think–HE BELONGS TO–you–? ** ”

Megatron glared at him with burning rage until he suddenly bowed his helm down and chuckled.

“Oh my dear Soundwave,”

He looked back at Soundwave with this cold look in his optics, despite the false smile across his scarred faceplates

“My dearest  **_ friend_**…”

He spat the word out as if it were toxic.

“Don’t make me regret giving you that visor”

The emoticon on Soundwave’s visor left in an instant and his frame became rigid.

Megatron chuckled to himself before looking back at Skywarp and Thundercracker.

“Now than…”

He grabbed Skywarp roughly by the faceplates and yanked him forward, Thundercracker jolted harshly and tried to grab him back but Megatron was too fast, Skywarp was brought to him until his sharp denta was all he could see, he shook in fear.

“Where is Starscream?”

* * *

Arcee was thrown back against the cave walls. Knockout managed to cut off another one of Arachnid’s spider legs but they were being cornered.

Knockout roared and slashed at Arachnid’s back, creating a massive cut on her back, Energon spilling out already. 

She screamed in pain before lunging at Knockout in revenge.

“Enough of you!”

Arachnid shouted, driving two of her cut off spider legs into Knockout’s shoulder blades and pinning him to the wall.

He shouted in pain and tried to pull himself free, it was a bit morbid the fact that she used her own chopped off limbs to pin him.

Arachnid smirked and grabbed his throat, choking him as her other spider legs came and pointed themselves to his chassis, above the spark chamber.

“Say hello to Breakdown for me”

Knockout’s optics widen in anger and he kicked her with all his strength. She fell back and growled.

“You—!”

She screamed when she was shot and stumbled back. The blast fire didn’t stop until she was out of sight.

Arcee gripped onto the cave wall and looked over at Knockout.

“I’m fine! Just go end her!”

Arcee nodded and chased after Arachnid.

SlipStream arrived and saw Knockout pinned to the wall.

“Knocks! Are you—?”

“Never mind me! Follow Arcee and Arachnid! We almost have her!”

SlipStream hesitated for a moment.

“Go!”

He shouted, and with that she nodded and ran after them.

As she ran, she could hear pained shouts and blaster fire from a distance.

She rounded the corner just in time to see Arcee hit the wall again and fall to the ground with a pained grunt. Her side was wounded and she was bleeding out, her blaster was smoking from firing so much.

“ _ Arcee…! _ ”

SlipStream murmured in worry, than focused on Arachnid.

Arachnid was severely injured yet she was still standing, she only had three spider legs left and she was bleeding all over.

Arachnid narrowed her optics and dove in, going straight for an attack and catching SlipStream’s wings.

They scratched at each other, trying to throw the other one off. SlipStream managed to tear off another one of Arachnid’s spider legs, she screamed and threw SlipStream away from her.

SlipStream hit against something hard, her intake left her and she looked up to see that she had collided with a huge metal drill. She wondered absently if there were more, and if she could bury Arachnid alive if she created a cave in.

She couldn’t act on it if she wanted to, Arachnid lunged and grabbed her throat.

She struggled and kicked whilst Arachnid was trying to choke her to death. SlipStream snarled and pushed back against the drill and toward Arachnid, grabbing the second last leg and tugging at it. Arachnid screamed as she felt SlipStream removing her leg, she snarled against the pain and threw SlipStream away.

SlipStream fell onto her back, scrapping her wings slightly, webbing shot out and stuck her right pede to the ground. She sat up just in time to see Arachnid leaping forward to stab her spider legs into the Seeker femme’s vocaliser.

SlipStream didn’t have enough time to dodge, she shut her optics closed and waited for the enviable pain when she suddenly heard a blast, followed by a rough cry of pain and than the sound of a frame crashing against the cave wall.

SlipStream opened her optics again and saw Arachnid had collided onto the cave’s wall, her frame laid on the ground beside the drill in a painful position as smoke made its way into the air from where she was shot.

SlipStream looked toward Arcee from afar, still on the ground bleeding out from her side and panting, but the blaster in her servo wasn’t smoking from a blast.

SlipStream looked around and saw Starscream, his null ray smoking with hot smoke from a recent blast, he panted softly, his left pede was still injured so he was weighing most of his weight on his other pede. He looked back at SlipStream and gave a small smirk.

“Why…are you so sheepish, Hm?”

He breathed softly.

“I thought you were the cocky one”

SlipStream’s adrenaline had slowed back down and she smirked back.

“Not as cocky as you”

No body had noticed Arachnid’s brutally battered frame on the ground next to the drill slowly moving.

Starscream let out a soft airy chuckle before extending his servo out to her.

“Here,”

He murmured, SlipStream smiled and reached for his servo with her own.

“Let’s get out of here before Lord Megatron gets more furious with me—“

It had happened so fast, SlipStream hadn’t even had the chance to grab his servo, the tip of their digits just barely touching. SlipStream’s optics were wide with shock, she couldn’t move her gaze away but she knew Arcee had the exact expression on her own faceplates. The newly fresh Energon splattered across SlipStream’s faceplates were barely anything than the dripping Energon coming from the giant drill that had impaled Starscream right through his chassis.

Arachnid gave a small smirk, receiving satisfaction from her revenge despite the fact that she herself was deactivating.

Starscream‘s optics shook with uncontrollable fear and shock, the drill that was through his chassis was cold and covered in so much dust, he could feel it mixing with his own Energon. 

He could already feel himself deactivating.

Starscream looked down at the drill than looked at SlipStream’s faceplates, the look she had, it was all too familiar.

It was Kaws Rust all over again.

“… _ S-S-Slip-SlipStream _ …”

Starscream managed to gasp out her designation despite the taste of his own Energon climbing up his vocaliser and quickly flooding onto his glossa.

“… _S-SlipStream_ …I-I’ll be  _ fine_…!”

He let out a nervous chuckle after he had managed to say that, he gave a weak, pathetic smile. A smile that was filled with fear, fear of deactivation. 

SlipStream couldn’t stop shaking, her optics tracked down Starscream frame. There was so much Energon, it dripped off of the sharp tip of the drill and the sharp curves running all around it, it oozed out of Starscream’s frame and ran down every curve, seam and dent, down his thighs and pedes, all the way to the soiled ground.

And it still wouldn’t stop.

Starscream realised where she had been staring and tried to stop her by using his voice:

“ _S-SlipStream_ -Don’t look at  _ that_, L-Look at  _ me_”

He stammered, unable to hold in a cough, spitting out Energon by accident. SlipStream hesitantly looked back at him.

“I-I’ll be fine! K-Knockout can pa-patch me up! Y-You’ll just ha-have to take ca-care of Thun-Thundercracker and Skywarp, O-Okay?”

SlipStream slowly nodded.

Starscream closed his optics and let out a shuddering sigh.

“G-Good…”

He murmured before opening his optics and looking down at the drill still impaling him.

“N-Now…I-I just have to—“

And before anyone could react, the drill started up with a fast humming noise.

It plunged the sharp drill into Starscream, twirling that horrendously sharp curves into his lithe frame before driving back, creating a massive hole in the place his spark chamber should’ve been.

Arcee covered her mouth to refuse a gasp of horror.

SlipStream’s mouth had fallen open into agape, her lower lip quivering in fear and shock.

Arachnid’s spider leg went limp as she finally deactivated.

Starscream stared down at the hole in his chassis, the Energon lines were cut and dangling, his wings were damaged so much that they were dangling on his-barely there anymore-back.

There was so much Energon...

And he could feel himself deactivate faster.

He coughed out Energon, it splattered onto the soiled ground underneath him until his pedes finally gave in and he fell.

His chassis collided with the dirt with a muffled ‘THUMP’ and the Energon that was already pouring out of him, spilt onto the ground and continued to run out of him.

SlipStream stared at Starscream’s unmoving form, her breathing quickening as her optics darted to the several injuries and Starscream’s expressionless faceplates, his optics were still open and flickering off. SlipStream stared at him, the glowing blue Energon wasn’t bright enough to stop the sudden darkness that had surrounded her, She could hear voices arriving and shouting orders, she could feel bots around her but she took little notice to them. 

She wasn’t able to hold in her feelings, she couldn’t take it, She couldn’t.

She choked back a sob.

And screamed in agony.

* * *


	22. [Royalty And Loyalty]

**{Tears Of The Young}**   
**[Back to the Past]**

* * *

The screaming continued, filled with horror.

Multiple mechs guided her out of the house while she screamed incoherently and thrashed.

Prisma Jet examined the scene, questioning what had happened there. She turned to one of the younger lieutenants.  
"How many bots were in here?"

The young mech took out a datapad and read off his notes.  
"Three femmes, one of which is a youngling. Several mechs tried to calm the older ones down but she kept screaming. They had to lock her in a room until the rest of the Enforcers arrived."

Prisma Jet watched the femme get carried away as she continued to scream, she sighed.  
"This has to stop..."

"Ma'am?"

" _This!_ This-endless cycle!"  
Prisma Jet exclaimed tiredly as she gestured to the mechs carrying the screaming femme away.  
"This has been happening regularly, whoever adopts the youngling either 'disappears' or ends up having horrendous trauma"

The mech looked back at the vehicle his comrades carried the screaming femme into and sighed.  
"I...I don't know what to tell you, Ma'am...But...You can't blame the youngling...She's probably just as terrified as everyone else is..."  
He muttered.

Prisma sighed.  
"I know..."  
She thought for a moment before she snarled.  
"She's fragging _royalty_ , why haven't her _other_ slagging _royal_ family members _tried_ taking her in?"

The mech looked up into the dark night sky, the stars winking down at them.  
"Haven't you heard...?"

Prisma looked back at him.  
"Hm?"  
She narrowed her optics.  
"Heard _what_?"

The mech hesitated.  
"...Queen Alkes Lynx had passed recently..."

Prisma blinked before looking down at the ground.  
" _Oh_..."

They stood in silence for a moment before the young lieutenant started again.  
"The kingdom is in ruins right now...considering that her passing was only a few cycles after the creation of her newborn sons"

Prisma hummed.  
"...I wonder how the young prince is doing..."  
She thought and spoke again.  
"...When do you think they'll try contacting him about... _her_?"

She nodded toward the vacant house their comrades were clearing out, the young femme stepped outside wrapped around in a blanket, following two mechs back into another one of their vehicles.

The lieutenant watched and sighed.

"I'm sure...they've been trying"  
The youngling got into the vehicle with the two mech and they drove away.  
"...and they still are..."

* * *

The constant ping coming from his COMM was getting annoying. He just wanted to be alone in his berthroom. Ignoring all of the energon the maid had came in and gave him. It didn't matter anymore. His carrier was dead, and he did nothing but watch with the very thing that could've saved her.

Starscream glared at the red diamond on the desk in front of him with misty optics, he stood and threw the diamond across the room in a rage.  
He wanted to scream, he wanted to shout, he wanted every single emotion inside of him to go away.

His comm pinged again.  
" ** _WILL YOU SHUT UP?!_** "  
Starscream screeched, grabbing the comm and throwing it across the room as well.

It cracked when it impacted against the wall and the screen shattered when it landed on the floor.

He panted, everything had been draining him, emotionally, mentally and physically. He slumped back into his chair and covered his faceplates with his clawed servo, propping his servo joint onto the desk.

There came a knock on the door.

He snarled and didn't move. There was another knock. And a muffled voice.

"Um...My prince, Starscream? I'm sorry to interrupt you but—"

"Leave me be"  
Starscream rasped, his servo closing into a fist as he tried to ignore everything around him.

"B-But, your highness!"  
The maid tried.  
"The commander of the Enforcers wishes to speak with you"

Starscream sighed and waved a dismissive servo despite the fact that he was alone in his berthroom and his maid can't see through walls.  
"Tell her that I rather speak with her later, I'm quite busy right now"

"Um...But your highness..."  
The maid muttered before the sound of flames coming from a thruster dying down ran through his audio receptors, making the maid's timid voice tremble even more.  
"S-S-She's already here"

And than came multiple insistent knocks on the front door, causing Starscream to let out an frustrated sigh.

**.**

**. .**

**. . .**

**. . . .**

**. . .**

**. .**

**.**

Starscream opened the door with a frustrated huff, allowing a shaft of sunlight to shine across his frame. He shuttered his optics, having not seen sunlight for cycles. He refocused his gaze and glared at Prisma Jet, Head Commander of the Enforcers.

In other words, The Counsel's main marionette, puppeteering the lower caste.

Prisma glared hard at him.  
"Excuse me?"

Starscream huffed in amusement,  
"I'm sorry, did I say that aloud?"  
He chuckled.  
"Apologies, I haven't slept for a few cycles so I might say things that are undeniably true"

Prisma scoffed,  
"Well if you're done chastising me when you're obviously in a bad state,"  
Starscream growled but before he could retort, Prisma continued.  
"than can we get a move on?Because we have more pressing matters we need to discuss"

"Okay, what is it?"  
Starscream spat, growing tired by just standing there and listening to her speak. Primus, she sounded like some drone.

Prisma glared at him,  
"I'm going to ignore that for now and just inform you"  
She grabbed a datafile from her subspace and scrolled through it.  
"Are you aware that your carrier, Alkes Lynx, had a sister?"

Starscream nodded, watching her as he remembered his carrier's kind faceplates.  
"...Yes, River, I'm aware. She took care of me when I was a youngling"

Prisma nodded and lowered the datafile to look at Starscream in the optic.  
"And what about her conjux?"

"AshStone?"  
Starscream waved a servo, trying to skip through all this small talk, why were they being brought up?  
"Known her long before they bonded, She was a brilliant scientist and a good friend to my carrier"

Prisma hesitated,  
"Cycles ago, Your carrier died, caused by a disease far worse than the Cosmetic Rust. We're still trying to figure out what it is and what caused it..."  
Starscream nodded and Prisma continued.  
"Cycles later, River and AshStone disappeared"

Starscream paused, his spark dropped, Prisma continued.  
"From what we gathered from both surveillance cameras and witnesses. They both were working late when River started to rust out of nowhere, AshStone was quickly infected and before we knew it. They...were gone."  
Starscream stared down, gaze fixed somewhere between the ground and a sudden blur that invaded his vision, Prisma's voice went through one audio receptor to the other.

"All they've worked for is still there in the lab, they left a great legacy and we intend to keep it that way"

It all came through as a muffled voice, it wasn't quiet but it was loud enough to shove images into his processor. The image of them both trying their best to survive, holding each other in defeat. Who faded into nothing but dust first? Who had ended up dying alone being joining the other? Had their broken bond caused the other to die before the rust could kill them first? What were their last words to each other?

Were they happy at all with their lives...?

It must've been so sudden...

Before Starscream could fall into deeper depths of this dark plague also known as his processor, Prisma Jet continued.  
"And...Speaking of Legacy..."  
She muttered, opening the datafile again and swiping through it.  
"They left something that... _none_ of us were prepared for..."

Starscream looked up when she turned the datafile around, wondering what was so bad that even _she_ couldn't deal with.

He glanced.

Than took another look to confirm what he had just seen.

Prisma let him take the datafile to look at it again and again.  
"They left your _cousin_... ** _Slipstream_** "

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I pulled off the 'Hey, the story has ended!' last chapter, I doubt any of you guys would've forgiven me for that.


	23. [All It Takes]

**{Tears Of The Young}**   
  
**[Back To The Past]**

* * *

  
Starscream walked down the hall, his unique pedes clicking loudly against the clear clean floor, echoing in the vacant white hallway.

  
"Y-Your highness, don't you think you should slow down?"  
The maid asked shyly, struggling to catch up with Starscream's long fast strides.  
The Seeker Prince ignored the maid, out of spite, his stride quickened. The maid tried to catch up.  
"S-Sir! Please!"

  
He had to find her. He had to find SlipStream. Nothing else mattered, no one else does.  
Yet the maid was still alive even though Starscream's patience was running thin.

  
It was a miracle really.

* * *

  
It was a miracle really.

  
How Megatron hadn't killed one of his soldiers yet.  
By the way the warlord stomped and how he muttered to himself furiously with a string of Tarnish curses was a clear sign that he wanted to murder some bot.

  
Skywarp rubbed at his neck cabling, it ached from where Megatron grabbed it and brought him close for interrogation. Thundercracker placed a servo on his brother's lower back soothingly.  
Soundwave followed behind them with DreadWing beside him and SmokeScreen in front of them.  
It was silent. Nothing but the whistling wind, Megatron's mumbling and the crunching of dead organic mater underneath their pedes. It was quiet.

  
That was until Skywarp felt something within him snap.  
The purple jet gasped and fell to his knee joints, causing Thundercracker to stop and crouch down to his level in concern.  
"Warp? What's wrong?"

Skywarp said nothing, he warped himself away with a purple flash of light.  
"W-Warp?!"  
Thundercracker jumped onto his pedes the moment his brother teleported himself away. Megatron turned at the sound.  
"What?"

  
Thundercracker whirled around in a panic.  
"Skywarp?!"  
His optics caught a flash of light up ahead, he ran towards it despite Megatron's orders.  
The blue Seeker found his brother, still on his knees.  
"Warp! You had me worried!"  
He shouted.  
"What's wrong with—"

Just than, he felt it too.  
A sudden snap. A dark abyss surrounding him.  
"You..."  
He breathed as his vision blurred and he saw, for a split klik, SlipStream before him and a drill through his very chassis—No, not his—Starscream's chassis.

He gasped as the pain came next, the despair, the agony. He stumbled and caught himself against a tree, his claws digging into the wood as his spark vibrated harshly. His intake quickened and suddenly it all stopped.

There, the silence continued.

  
And for once Thundercracker realised that,

All it takes for someone to die was a wound deep enough to cut through layers and layers of metal.

  
All it takes for someone to die was the rapid loss of energon.

  
All it takes for someone to die was if their backup was too slow to arrive.

  
All of this.

  
All it takes.

  
All it took, 

  
Was one slip up,

  
And he would be dead.

  
_Offline._

  
**_Deactivated._ **

  
Thundercracker's spark kept vibrating rapidly within its chamber, a surge of emotions crashing over each other as he tried to steady his intakes. 

  
It was so sudden.

  
Like a scissor and a thread, cutting it in one smooth motion, breaking it without any way to reverse it.

  
Thundercracker gripped his spark chamber. 

  
It shouldn't be possible.

  
It couldn't be possible.

  
He felt this before but he saw him, Starscream, and he was very much alive. He was wrong before. His spark could be lying to him again. It had to be. There was no way Starscream could've—  
But could he risk not believing in his spark?

  
He pushed himself off the tree he had leaned against, removing his claws from the cedar wood. He flexed them and looked down at Skywarp. The purple jet stayed on his knee joints, his optics wide and staring into space, his claws dug into the dirt below.

  
"Skywarp"  
The Purple Seeker looked up at his twin, a trail of crimson red light following his optics caused by the fast movement of his helm, a single tear fell from one of his optics.  
"We must go"  
Thundercracker said, reluctantly dragging his servo away from his spark chamber. Skywarp nodded numbly and got to his pedes, activating his warp drive and straightening himself.

  
Fast pedesteps stopped them, Thundercracker turned his helm back to look behind him. Megatron pushed past a branch and glared at the two jets.  
"And where do you think _you're_ going?"

  
"None of this is of your concern"  
Thundercracker glanced at Skywarp, The purple jet never talked back unless he was joking.   
"So just leave it..."  
He sighed and turned his helm a bit to glance at their leader, he murmured.  
"...just like you left him..."  
He wasn't joking around this time.

  
Thundercracker soaked in the expression Megatron had on his face plates with deep satisfaction, it didn't matter if it was only for a split klik before they were warped away, it was the best thing he'd ever seen. It was the closest thing to what he thought MetalWing's expression could've been before he deactivated.

They appeared inside the cave with a flash of purple light. Thundercracker immediately caught the scent of Energon, he cursed and ran deeper into the cave with Skywarp beside him. The sound of scrapping caused them to stop. Thundercracker slowed, approaching the shadow figure just around the corner with weapons raised.

  
He swept in swiftly, pointing his blasters when he realised it was just Knockout. Impaled. Through his shoulder blades.

Knockout looked up at them, surprised,  
"You two?!"  
He exclaimed.  
"What are you two doing here?! You're supposed to keep watch outside!"

  
Thundercracker narrowed his optics, he didn't have time for this. He stepped forward, grabbing hold of the spider legs—

"Wait no!"  
Knockout panicked.

—and pulled at them.

Knockout wailed in pain, however he wasn't stuck to the cave walls anymore so that was better.

  
Thundercracker looked around and saw an opening, an opening lead by pede pints littering the soil. The smell of Energon in the compressed air grew stronger at its direction. Thundercracker's optics stung, it couldn't have...

  
_Frag it all._

  
He ran.

  
_Frag the Decepticons,_

_Frag the Autobots,_

_Frag everyone around him!_

His spark continued racing as he ran faster, the smell of Energon and Metal growing ever stronger.

He couldn't be! HE _HAD_ TO BE ALIVE!

**_"STARSCREAM!"_ **

* * *

  
"Tell me again where they keep her"  
The prince snapped, he had been walking for quite some time now and he was growing tired of finding dead ends.

  
"Oh! R-Right...Um...Uhhh"  
The sound of datafiles dropping onto the floor filled his audios, he sighed to himself, Starscream turned around to look at the maid and grabbed the datafile about his cousin. The maid murmured an apology and let him look through it.

  
Starscream looked around and walked toward section D, he strode past a row of doors, everything seemed to blur as his focus only stayed on one thing. He found the room, door number 16. As he was slowly approaching the door, he hesitated. 

  
"What's wrong, My Lord?"

  
Starscream glanced at the maid.

  
"Don't you want to see her?"

  
He glanced back at the door. 

He did. He really did. 

But if all it takes is just one slip up to get someone he knew killed.   
Then he was no better then a disappointment, some bot who couldn't protect those he most cared about.   
If he couldn't take care of her, than he was just as useless than when his carrier—

He shook his helm. No. This will be different. He just knew it.

  
All it took was just a little bit of courage...

With that, he pushed open the door as gently as he could, spark vibrating in his chassis.  
"SlipStream?"

* * *


	24. 1463

Soldiers are loyal, they’re obedient and take orders only from their commander. There’s a thin line between a soldier and a slave. A slave being a mech who has zero will or say in what they’re ordered to do, slaughtered or tortured when they show even the slightest bit of disobedience while a soldier is taken by their own will, however sometimes they’re taken by force, to fight in a war against others that were taken by force or by will as well. 

Soldiers and Slaves, the difference between them is thin. Slaves die and Soldiers die, Slaves are taken by force and Soldiers are taken by force depending on the war generals.

Most Decepticon Soldiers joined by their own will. Some however did not, joining only to survive cause they knew that if they tried to join the Autobots, it’d end with their demise.

Sadly, most of the time, those who joined to save themselves die first.

Most of the time.

However not all the time.

Sometimes the mechs that joined by their own will, die first.

“Lord Megatron?”

The warlord ignored Dreadwing, pushing past branches that were in his way.

Dreadwing was a loyal soldier, obedient and stern. He fought with honour and he fought well.

Just like Starscream used to be...before…

Megatron snarled and walked faster. His ginormous pedes crushing the twigs and fallen leaves underneath them. The night seemed colder and colder, wind whistling harshly into his audios.

The more he thought about ‘loyalty’, the more he thought about his soldiers. The Seekers mostly.   
Seekers were...rare. They were fast fliers and their combat skills were impressive. They were fascinating creatures...however not all were as expressive as Starscream. Starscream was...different. He was...an amazing soldier. He was near perfect, actually. If he just stopped being a little too overconfident, then maybe he could actually rival against Megatron himself. 

They did battle in that cave over the keys...Maybe when they could, they could try again...for...fun.

Megatron blinked before shaking his helm. Why? Why was he thinking about that traitor? That Seeker has been nothing but trouble. His disobedience cost Megatron so much, even his damned family is as disobedient as him. 

It must run in the family…  
Megatron thought as he broke another branch off a tree that was blocking his way and stopped, a cave with multiple pede prints leading toward the inside. 

He growled and took a step toward the cave before he heard it. A scream, coming from within the cave. It echoed out and filled Megatron’s audios.

The warlord stood still for a moment before that young Autobot pushed him aside in his haste to run into the cave.

Dreadwing reached out and grabbed his shoulder to stop him, the Autobot scrambled and kicked,  
“Let go!”  
He yelled.  
“They could be in trouble!”

Megatron thought to himself, the scream. It reminded him of something, but he wasn’t sure…  
He started walking toward the cave, almost as if his entire frame was being controlled. It felt like a blur. He vaguely remembered the stench of hot metal and fresh energon, the darkness surrounding him in the cave, the soft glow of his red optics darting from wall to wall, the sensation of kicking up dry dirt and stones every time he took a step. It all felt so surreal, he felt alone yet he knew he wasn’t...he felt like...he felt like he was reliving an old memory.

He rounded the corner and saw them. SlipStream was staring off into the distance, her optics shined over like a camera lense, blurred and unfocused. Thundercracker sat there silently with Starscream in his arms. 

Megatron’s optics tracked down Starscream’s frame, energon pooled from the ginormous hole in his chest and stained the soil underneath them. The stench was stronger now and he swore he could taste it on his glossa.

Megatron swallowed and knelt down in front of Thundercracker.  
“Thundercracker, Let go of him”

The blue jet didn’t listen, instead he wrapped his arms around his brother tightly, refusing and disobeying him.  
“...Don’t...…”  
He mumbled quietly, so soft that it didn’t even sound like he had spoken at all.

The warlord frowned and extended his servo,  
“Thundercracker, your brother needs immediate medical attention.”  
He carefully reached out toward Starscream’s hand.  
“If you don’t let him go then he’ll offline, so listen to me and—“

Megatron flinched back in surprise when Thundercracker suddenly extended his talons and scratched him across his face.  
“DON’T YOU TOUCH HIM!”  
The blue Seeker yelled, tightening his hold around his brother.

Megatron felt the fresh claw marks on his face, feeling how deep it was to prick an energon line and make him bleed. He scowled,  
“Thundercracker, you fool, hand over Starscream or—“

“NO!”  
Thundercracker yelled, wings hiking up defensively.  
“ALL YOU DO IS MAIM AND HURT AND—AND I WON’T LET YOU TOUCH HIM!”

“I wasn’t _**asking**_ , Thundercracker!”  
The warlord raised his voice.  
“I was **_ordering_**!”

“FRAG YOU AND YOUR ORDERS!”

They stopped when they suddenly heard an agonising scream coming from behind them, they looked over and saw SlipStream. The femme choked on her sobs and kept screaming.   
Thundercracker’s optics widened.  
 _“...Kaws rust…”_  
He hurriedly moved to SlipStream’s side and tried to calm her down.  
“SlipStream! It’s okay! Kn-Knockout will-he-will fix...”  
He stopped when he realised his uncertainty was slipping into his words.

There was another shriek but it was cut short. Megatron turned his helm and saw Skywarp covering his mouth with both of his servos, it looked like his claws were cutting deep into his metal to prevent his screams to continue.

Knockout moved to look and gasped, he ran over to them and checked Starscream. His servos shook and his optics darted from one wound to another.  
 _“...please, please, please…”_  
The doctor whispered,  
 _“...not again...please...”_  
He pulled out a scanner and placed it on Starscream’s chassis after activating it. Knockout began trying to stop the energon lines from leaking as he stared at the statistics showing on the screen of the scanner.

**STATIS: OFFLINE**

_“No...”_  
Knockout bit his glossa and transformed his servo into a blowtorch.  
“No, no, no! Over my offline frame!”

Skywarp stared, his servos shaking and digging deeper into his metal plating as tears ran down his cheeks rapidly, his knee joints weakened and shook until they gave in and he fell onto them.

Soundwave, Dreadwing and the Autobot had arrived just in time to see Knockout try and stop the energon lines from leaking. Smokescream, if that’s the name of the young Autobot scout, looked horrified. He averted his optics and looked at his fellow Autobot, the two-wheeler while Dreadwing kept a strong hold on the Autobot’s shoulder blade, staring ahead and watching the scene unfold.  
Soundwave’s entire frame looked..tense.

“COME ON!”  
Knockout shouted, trying his best to stop the bleeding as he kept his scanner over Starscream’s chassis until he felt a touch on his shoulder, he whipped his helm around and saw Thundercracker. Thundercracker stared at him with tear filled optics and shook his helm, it was time to let go. Knockout’s vents were fast and harsh, he couldn’t give up and yet he knew Starscream was gone.

...he was gone…

The cave was filled with silence. The atmosphere was heavy and it felt like Cybertron itself laid on their shoulders. Energon and hot metal lingered in the air thickly. The sobs of SlipStream continued as Thundercracker held her close to muffle her cries.

Megatron stared blankly at Starscream’s unmoving frame, expecting him to sit up and shout at them for being so sentimental and claim that his wounds were nothing too severe.

...He never really cared about his health...Maybe a few scratches but losing a limb was barely a concern to him..Maybe his wings but he couldn’t remember a time where his wings were taken from him...but he couldn’t remember a lot of things about Starscream. It was quite strange really. Maybe that’s why the Seeker despised him so much, because everything regarding his Seeker never remained in his processor files.

...His Seeker...

That’s what he thought of him, huh? His?  
...Well, he was…  
He was his. 

_Was_ his.

He had a choice, stay or fight. He chose to fight. And maybe that was the wrong choice...because if he hadn’t chosen to leave him then maybe...just maybe Starscream would’ve still been alive…

The differences between soldiers and slaves..are broad.

Soldiers are not **_whipped_** , they’re not **_beaten_** , they’re not to be **_sold_** or **_traded_** or **_killed just on a whim_**. Soldiers either joined because they were forced to or they decided to lay their faith in the General’s servos. 

...And Starscream joined him because...

...He had faith in him.

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Bonus Notes:

1463 words

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“Wait…”

Everyone’s optics looked up and at Knockout.  
“...H-He’s online..”

“What…?”  
Thundercracker sat up straight and looked at Starscream.

“H-He’s online!!”  
Knockout grabbed the scanner and pointed at the statistics.

**STATIS: ONLINE**

Skywarp’s optics widened and his servos slowly dropped from his mouth, an airy laugh escaped him as his tears fell with joy more over sorrow.

“B-But he’s barely functioning! Quick, we need a ground bridge!”

Megatron nodded and turned to Soundwave.  
“Bring—“  
He didn’t finish his sentence, having been suddenly shoved aside. Soundwave knelt down and picked up Starscream, standing up and holding him close to his chassis. The moment of joy had been stopped abruptly when they all noticed Soundwave’s tense frame, his still dark figure standing there, barely even moving an inch as he vented. 

_“S..Soundwave..?”_  
Knockout looked up at the telecommunications officer, his voice was almost silent, clear fear and concern in it.

Soundwave had stood so still that it made most of them jump when he started walking again, his pedesteps felt so heavy and dragged on that it felt like he weighed more than Megatron. A ground bridge opened, the green and blue glow making the entire cavern light up. As he was about to take his final step into the portal and disappear through it, he looked back at Megatron...Even if he had a visor...it still felt like he could manage to see Soundwave’s optic...glaring at him almost...possessive?...

Megatron couldn’t dwell on it any longer as Soundwave finally disappeared into the portal. He watched as the rest of his Decepticon soldiers went through the ground bridge as his processor raced.

Megatron left Starscream in that garden...it was clear that memory was an actual memory cause he remembered every line, every touch and every emotion he felt during that time…

And yet the story didn’t make any sense...He left Starscream that day in the garden, yet it felt like a whole new start when they saw each other at the arena. Starscream had introduced himself like he had never met him...and Soundwave just suddenly out of nowhere started getting close to Starscream? What happened? Something was off…

“My lord,”

Megatron looked up and turned to look, he saw the two Autobots in the middle of leaving. Snipscreen(?) blinked and grabbed the two wheeler and ran out.

“The Autobots are escaping”  
Dreadwing said but didn’t go after them, knowing that Megatron was in deep thought.  
“Shall I go recapture them?”

Megatron stared at the empty space the Autobots were previously standing and didn’t bother to move.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I haven't been replying to a few DM's for a while. However, I'm not going to tell you why since it's personal and I don't want to explain myself.  
> Hope you understand and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
> Stay tuned and stay safe.


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